A Vice President with global concert giants Live Nation had his sordid double-life exposed when caught by a Scotland Yard detective filming up female commuters’ skirts, a court heard yesterday.
The officer exposed the seemingly respectable £180,000-a year Andrew MacRae, 43, who had been also filming his female neighbour, a house guest, work colleague and random holidaymakers.
When officers searched his £550,000 matrimonial home they discovered the married dad-of-one eight year-old boy had been secretly filming the neighbour sunbathing and receiving regular intimate waxing.
The house guest was recorded on his motion-detection camera undressing for bed, wearing a “revealing” nightdress and bathrobe.
The charity and school coach volunteer he had hoarded approximately 49,000 images and is now receiving sex addiction counselling.
MacRae, of Hartfield, Caynham, Ludlow, Shropshire pleaded guilty to three counts of outraging public decency on July 19, last year, the day of his arrest, and on trains between July 12 and August 21, 2013 and between May 2 and July 4, last year.
He also pleaded guilty to seven counts of voyeurism for the purpose of sexual gratification at his former marital home at 33 Holmesdale Avenue, Redhill between January 2, 2013 and February 28, last year.
The University of Exeter graduate, who was VP of Finance & Strategic Initiatives, until his sacking was also accused of stealing three items of underwear from a female work colleague, but this charge was dropped.
However, he did admit taking and trying on her underwear and filming himself when she left her gym bag near her desk.
MacRae will return to Inner London Crown Court on Friday for sentencing.
Prosecutor Miss Kate Blumgart told the court of his arrest: “On that day a Detective Inspector was on his way to work travelling on Southern Rail from Mersham to Clapham Junction.
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| Feeling Guilty: MacRae Leaving Court After Plea |
“He was off-duty and arrived at Clapham Junction at 7.15am to catch a train to Vauxhall.
“As he was waiting for his train to Vauxhall his attention was drawn to Mr. MacRae standing behind a blonde female in a light summer dress.
“His laptop bag was placed behind her, near her legs and a gold-topped pen visible at the top of the bag grabbed his attention.
“Mr. MacRae seemed to be changing the angle of the bag and the pen. The female got on the train and Mr. MacRae made his way through an open door and stood next to another female, wearing a red dress.
“He stood very close and again positioned his bag on the floor between the female’s legs, with the pen pointing towards the victim.
“He was holding the straps of the laptop bag and was repositioning it while holding an iPhone in his left hand.”
The officer confronted MacRae while the woman protested the defendant had done nothing. “He said: ‘Yes it is a camera’ and she was visibly shocked.”
He claimed he bought the pen as a “gadget” and had filmed two female commuters a day for a fortnight for sexual gratification and downloaded the footage when he returned home.
“He said he felt disgusted with himself and felt pressure at home to: ‘Keep up with the Jones’s’” added Miss Blumgart.
Police searched MacRae’s matrimonial home and seized a hard drive from a first-floor office. “There were a large number, thousands of pornographic files.”
Folders had been carefully arranged and included 160 semi-naked shots of unsuspecting women labelled ‘Ibiza 2014.’
In ‘Amazon’ were 50 recordings of his female neighbour, who he had filmed from an upstairs window and through a gap in the garden fence.
“She was wearing a dress siting on the lawn, her knickers are visible and there is another of her receiving an intimate waxing and performing yoga.”
There were 9 recordings he made of trying on her underwear when she trusted him with her house key during a vacation and 21 frolicking semi-naked in her bedroom.
There were recordings of him wearing his work colleague’s underwear, plus a recording of the woman at work and recordings of himself wearing the houseguest’s underwear.
On some occasions MacRae “slowed down” the footage made compilations and used techniques to enhance the quality of the pictures.
He made further multiple train recordings of female commuters’ legs and busts, including one unsuspecting female, who found herself in his ‘Eurostar’ file.
MacRae told police he filmed his neighbour being waxed when spotting the firm’s van parked outside her home, describing that as his “trigger.”
“She feels her privacy has been completely invaded and that she respected and trusted the defendant,” explained Miss Blumgart. “She feels extremely angry at the thought of him taking photographs of her.
“She feels violated, she is in disbelief and shock and feels embarrassment at such an invasion of her privacy.”
The woman MacRae was filming when arrested no longer travels on public transport alone. “She feels the incident was incredibly scary and is violated and embarrassed.”
His lawyer Sarah Elliott said: “His marriage has broken down although his wife does consider reconciliation. He’s lost his employment, it was terminated.
“No doubt it will make lurid headlines and that will bring great shame on him.”
Live Nation sacked MacRae after his arrest and the company say they condemn his behaviour.
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