Man fined for taking photo of woman being sick

Published on Friday 3 October 2008 22:22

A POSTMAN has been fined £100 after he took a photo of a drunk woman while she was being sick.

Sebastian Prydgodzi, 28, said he took the picture because he wanted "another view of Edinburgh" during the capital's festival. But he was told by Sheriff Kenneth Hogg that taking a photo of a vulnerable woman was "exceptionally unchivalrous".

Rebecca Smith was sitting on the steps of the Omni Centre, near the top of Leith Walk, where she had been drinking on a work night out on August 8.

She had her head between her legs when Prydgodzi approached her and took a picture with a flash on his mobile phone. Miss Smith was "embarrassed and shocked by the flash", said fiscal depute Marie Vernon.

She added: "Her friends took hold of Mr Prydgodzi until the police arrived."

Krakow-born Prydgodzi, of Albion Road, Edinburgh, pleaded guilty in court yesterday to breach of the peace and acting in a disorderly manner.

Andrew Houston, defending, said: "The Festival was very much under way and he spent the day wandering around taking photos of the street performers.

"This girl was clearly worse for wear due to drink and, on reflection, this was an error of judgment. He was taking a photo of another view of Edinburgh and meant no offence."

Sheriff Hogg said: "The lady was in that position possibly through her own accord. But you should have walked past and ignored her. It was exceptionally unchiv-alrous – which might be an old-fashioned phrase, but that I am. It shouldn't matter whether it's a man or a lady, but it's worse that it's a lady."