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| Picture Ban: Dr. George |
A PhD-qualified researcher, who now reads books on public transport to distract himself from filming up female commuters’ skirts, has been sentenced.
Dr. Richard Anthony George, 49, was a regular on four different lines and police found multiple creepy images he had taken when his phone was forensically examined.
The majority of pictures taken were of between women’s legs seated opposite him on the tube, but sometimes he would stand over them and take snaps of their busts.
On Monday he was placed on a twelve-month community order, which includes 150 hours of community service work.
George, of Westbury Lane, Buckhurst Hill, Essex was also made subject to a strict five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
This prevents him taking any pictures on the public transport system, entering any train or station in the UK, save for travel and surrendering any image-storing device to police on demand.
George was also ordered to pay £100 compensation to one of his victims, £85 costs and an £85 victim surcharge.
He pleaded guilty to two counts of outraging public decency, namely taking a picture up a woman’s skirt at Leytonstone Underground Station on August 25, last year and taking multiple such pictures between August 4 and August 24.
Prosecutor Miss Olivia Bull told the court: “These offences took place in August, last year. On August twenty-five a woman was travelling on a westbound Central Line Underground train.
“Mr. George was taking taking photos up her skirt, using his mobile phone.”
A second woman saw him and they both challenged George at Leytonstone, where he got off the train.
When police traced his movements via CCTV they identified George via his Oyster card when he tapped in and out, because it was registered to his address.
He was questioned by British Transport Police. “He said he was on the phone and did not take any photos and got off the train because he felt he should not be there with two women and was embarrassed.”
However, police examined his phone and George’s lies were exposed. “It was found to have a number of images of upskirting.”
George continued to try and deceive police, claiming the images were taken of women he dated, who gave their permission.
“He said he took the photos with their consent and was seeing several girlfriends at the time and took them as a prank, a fetish.”
However, when officers questioned one of George’s supposed girlfriends she discredited his fabricated account.
“She said it was not her and she had met Mr. George, but it was not a date.”
She had met him on August 26, but the upstart image was dated August 12.
Miss Bull said police identified pictures taken on the Central, Metropolitan, District and Circle Lines.
“The photos are taken when females are sitting opposite and their legs are open and there are pictures from above, down low-cut tops.
“He did specifically target women. He’s aimed for up their skirts between their legs.”
Miss Bull successfully argued George must surrender any digital device, capable of taking pictures, to police on request and must have a valid fare on all trains as conditions of bail.
“My job as a prosecutor is to protect members of the public from serious sexual harm,” she told the court.
“The police have made these applications because they have concerns.”
George’s lawyer Miss Emma Stuart-Smith told the court: “The last photo was on October the fifth and most were deleted soon afterwards.
“He stopped that behaviour on his own accord.
“He is a professional man. He took his own course and realised what he was doing was wrong and now he takes a book whenever he travels.
“He is receiving therapy. He is extremely humiliated and remorseful for the position he finds himself in and his behaviour.
“He is extremely sorry and humiliated to be here. The court should not be concerned that he is going to commit any more offences.”
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