Sunglasses and neck chain with built-in cameras found after pervert from Charing, Ashford, arrested near Folkestone Harbour
11:59, 16 July 2024
updated: 16:02, 16 July 2024
A pervert who wore sunglasses with a built-in camera and a neck chain capable of recording was arrested after acting suspiciously at a beach.
Police later searched John Gilliver’s home in Charing, near Ashford, and found devices including indecent images of children.
The 62-year-old, from Ashford, was arrested and admitted multiple offences including voyeurism before being sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court on Thursday.
He was jailed for a year and eight months and was also made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
Officers were called to Folkestone harbour on July 10, 2022, after he was seen behaving suspiciously and taking photographs on the beach that afternoon.
After he was arrested, a pair of sunglasses and a neck chain capable of recording and storing images were seized.
Further devices and recording equipment were found in a search of Gilliver’s home in Maidstone Road, Charing.
Data downloaded from the devices were found to include indecent images including of children.
Detectives uncovered further offences of voyeurism.
Gilliver was found to have secretly installed cameras at the home of a man and a woman he knew, to spy on them for his gratification.
He was charged and pleaded guilty to making indecent images of children, voyeurism and possessing an indecent image.
DC Jemma Bell said: “Gilliver is a deceitful criminal who abused people’s trust to carry out his crimes.
“We will explore every avenue open to us to protect victims from sexual offenders.
“I am pleased that Gilliver is now in prison and the Sexual Harm Prevention Order imposed with this sentence will protect the public from him following his release.”