A MAN from Prestatyn who secretly filmed girls in changing rooms at a Colwyn Bay leisure centre has been spared jail.

Gareth Ashton, 37, of Victoria Road, was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, at Mold Crown Court today (May 19).

Ashton had admitted eight offences, including making 45 indecent category C photographs of a child and four counts of voyeurism.

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Prosecuting, Richard Edwards told the court that Ashton’s offending took place between 2019 and 2022, but first came to light on April 22, 2022.

On that date, Ashton was at Colwyn Leisure Centre when a woman, who had taken two girls swimming, noticed him appearing to follow them.

After leaving the pool, the girls were changing back into their clothes in a cubicle together when the woman, in an adjacent cubicle, saw a hand appear above her.

Ashton had entered a cubicle, holding a camera pointing into the cubicle where the girls were changing.

The woman banged on her cubicle door and shouted for her partner, who then ran after and took pictures of Ashton.

These photos were then shared on Facebook, which was how Ashton came to be identified; he was arrested the following day, and his electronic devices were seized.

Analysis of his equipment showed that Ashton had used cameras to covertly film people in the leisure centre by leaving a camera in a cubicle, recording, as he went swimming.

The search history found on his computer was also found to be indicative of an interest in child sexual abuse material.

When interviewed by police for a second time in August 2022, Ashton made full admissions of his behaviour, saying the footage would give him a “high” and excite him sexually.

A statement from the woman at the leisure centre read that she feels “physically sick”, and that she and the two girls now fear meeting him again.

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Defending, Anna Pope accepted that these “unpleasant and distressing” incidents cross the custody threshold, but said Ashton has a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.

Ashton, who had no previous convictions, lives with his 77-year-old mother, who has both physical and mental health issues.

Sentencing Ashton to immediate imprisonment would, Ms Pope said, have a detrimental effect on his mother as a consequence.

“Essentially, the two care for each other,” Ms Pope said.

“There are concerns about this defendant’s ability to cope in custodial setting; he’s not a sophisticated man.

“A far more productive way forward, to better protect the public, would be for his particular needs to be addressed.”

Recorder Wyn Lloyd-Jones, presiding over what he called a “sad case”, agreed to suspend Ashton’s custodial sentence.

Ashton was also sentenced to 45 days’ rehabilitation activity requirements, and a 43-session “New Me Strengths” programme.

He was made subject to sex offenders register notification requirements, and a sexual harm prevention order, each for 10 years.

His seized devices were ordered to be forfeited and destroyed, while Ashton will also pay a statutory surcharge.

Recorder Lloyd-Jones told him: “You did these things for a long time, between 2019 and 2022. They are serious, bad things.

“I have no doubt that you did these things to give you sexual pleasure, and I have no doubt that you have an interest in young girls.

“It’s obvious that you have a lot of problems and difficulties in your life, and that’s not your fault.

“If you went to prison, that would have a negative effect on your mother, and none of this is her fault.

“It (suspended sentence) will be hanging over your head as a reminder to you that you’re not allowed to do bad things.

“You have got to stop doing bad things. If you don’t, you’ll be back in court.”