Man jailed for secretly filming women in public toilets

A pervert who secretly filmed women as they used public toilets at locations across the North East has been locked up.

Sex pest Robbie Singh snuck into female conveniences and hid in cubicles before using his mobile phone to covertly record his victims as they used the loo next to him.

The 35-year-old committed his sick crimes in pubs and on one occasion at Washington Service Station on the A1 motorway.

Newcastle Crown Court heard Singh was initially arrested in September 2020 and placed under investigation but he refused to give officers the passcode for his mobile phone.

This didn't stop him from offending again and in 2021 he was confronted by one of his victims in the female toilets at Washington Services.

He apologised and said he would delete the video but instead he ran off and escaped in a car.

The brave victim was able to snap Singh on her mobile phone and police then tracked him down.

He initially denied the offence but then admitted it after being shown the recordings on his phone.

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The court heard that 26 other videos were also found on his devices which were taken at locations in Newcastle - but none of those victims were ever traced. Police were also unable to work out where the videos were taken.

Singh, of Henry Street Shiney Row, Houghton le Spring, pleaded guilty to 27 counts of voyeurism.

Judge Gavin Doig told the defendant that the offences were deeply unpleasant and the "sort of thing women fear."

The judge said his offending may make women feel more vulnerable and make them rethink using public toilets.

He sentenced Singh to 12 months behind bars and ordered him to sign the Sex Offender's Register for a decade.

Referring to the Washington incident, the judge told him: "The victim was using the public toilet. You went into the female toilets and filmed her.

"You fled the scene. She managed to take a photo of the car you were driving, that ultimately linked you to the offence.

"You were arrested and interviewed about that offence and you denied it.

"You said you mistakenly entered the female toilets at Washington Services - that was a lie.

"You denied recording her to the police - that was a lie."

However, the judge said Singh made frank admissions when interviewed for the second time after being confronted with the evidence.

He had already been made subject to a community order for a single offence of the same charge in November 2022.

Singh indicated he was ashamed of his actions and said they had occurred at a bad time in his life.

In a victim statement, the female who was recorded at the service station said: "This incident is going to make me be more aware when using public toilets, something I never thought about before."

John Crawford, mitigating, told the court Singh was making progress with the probation service.