A 38-year-old office clerk who secretly filmed his colleagues using the staff toilet has walked free from court after blaming his actions on being bullied at work.
Hidden Phone Discovery Triggers Police Investigation
Andrew Cox, who is engaged to be married, rigged a mobile phone in the lavatory of a Cheshire rental company where he worked. He positioned the device to record fellow employees during private moments, capturing one man in intimate detail over a two-hour recording session.
The crime came to light in March 2024 when a staff member discovered the hidden phone, noticing it was actively recording from beneath a rag. Colleagues reviewed the footage, which included clips of Cox himself setting up the device, leading directly to his identification.
Substantial Evidence of Voyeurism and Extreme Material Found
Police arrested Cox on his next day at work and seized his mobile phones and laptop. Investigators found a 'substantial' amount of messages and video related to the illicit recordings, confirming the voyeurism was not an isolated incident.
In a further disturbing discovery, officers also found five videos of extreme pornography depicting men and women having sex with animals on his devices.
Bullying Claims Presented in Mitigation
At Chester Magistrates' Court, Cox pleaded guilty to two counts of voyeurism and one of possessing extreme pornography. He faced a maximum of 18 months in prison.
In mitigation, his defence lawyer, Joanne Black, stated Cox was 'highly mortified and ashamed'. She argued that extensive bullying from school, compounded by the tragic death of his sister at age 17, had made him introverted. Cox claimed the bullying continued at his workplace from 2013 onwards.
Regarding the extreme material, Cox alleged that three of the videos were sent by his manager, one via a workplace WhatsApp group, and another by a friend, putting him in an 'awkward position'.
Suspended Sentence and Sex Offender Registration
District Judge Ian Barnes told Cox he had betrayed his colleagues' trust, leaving them feeling 'sick and violated'. Despite the serious breach, the judge imposed a 15-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.
Cox, from Acrefair near Wrexham, North Wales, was also ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work and 20 days of rehabilitation activity. He must pay £454 in costs and a surcharge.
Critically, Andrew Cox must sign the Sex Offenders' Register for seven years, a ruling that will significantly impact his life following the disturbing breach of workplace privacy.
