Shop pervert put on probation for filming little girl

A MAN who filmed a five-year-old girl on his mobile phone as she shopped with her father has been placed on probation for three years.

Alan Forrest, 36, was spotted with the phone at waist height as he followed the pair around Asda at The Jewel on August 19 last year and was reported to security by the child's father.

Police were contacted and CCTV footage showed Forrest trailing the pair.

The youngster, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, had been wearing her school uniform for the first time when she was recorded by Forrest, who later admitted he filmed girls about once a week.

The case was first revealed by the Evening News and after the sentence the girl's father said he felt the law "didn't know how to handle (sex offenders]".

He said: "There's not a lot you can do with this sort of stuff. He's filmed her but he's not touched her, so there's a limit to what the law can do, I suppose.

"As far as I'm concerned there's not much I can do now other then keep an eye out for him and make sure I'm protecting my daughter properly.

"I don't know what being on the sex register entails or whether he has to tell people about it or not, but I would like to know if his job would have to be informed."

He added: "Is there going to be any help for him? Will he see anyone about this or have some sort of therapy? Or will they just say 'we hope you've learned your lesson now'.

"I don't think the law knows how to handle this type of thing. I think we're too busy skirting round the human rights of the criminal than looking at the child's rights in the first place."

In court, fiscal depute Malcolm Stewart said: "Police arrived and took possession of two mobile phones from (Forrest's] property.

"He was interviewed about it and he accepted going into the store.

"When asked why he filmed a five-year-old girl, he said: 'I don't know, I just do stupid things, maybe fantasy or something, obviously I'd never harm anyone'."

Mr Stewart said he was asked if he got gratification and Forrest replied "maybe just because of the uniform".

The fiscal added that Forrest was also asked how often he did this and he said probably about once a week.

Police examined his phone but the images had been deleted after he was thrown out of the store by security.

Forrest, of Bingham Crossway in the Capital, admitted conducting himself in a disorderly manner, following and videoing the girl on his phone, and committing a breach of the peace.

Sheriff Wendy Sheehan deferred sentence but also put Forrest on the sex offenders register for three years and ordered him to participate in the group work programme for sex offenders.