Andrew Renouf (33) first came to the attention of officers in October after a member of the public noticed him following women around the New Look store and appearing to film them.
She began recording him with her phone to capture his actions and called the States police, the Magistrate’s Court heard yesterday. However, by the time they arrived, he had left the area.
A few days later, the same woman was walking down King Street when she spotted Renouf acting suspiciously again – this time next to the JD Sports outlet. Officers were sent to town and saw the defendant walking into the Royal Square following two young women from behind.
He was stopped and his bag was searched. It was carrying a notepad hiding an iPhone which was recording video. He was arrested on suspicion of breaching the peace.
Advocate Carla Carvalho, prosecuting, said that after his detention he told officers: ‘OK you got me. I was just following a few women that is all. I have not taken upskirts or anything – I just got a bit sexually frustrated during Covid.
‘It is a wake-up call. You can take the phone away and I will not do it again. I promise.’
Officers searched his home and seized two devices – a laptop and external hard drive. On these two videos of interest were found. One showed Renouf walking up to a woman in an M&S store in September and moving his hidden camera to floor level so that it recorded up her skirt. Another video, taken the day after, showed the defendant in Boots carrying out a similar act.
Ten videos of women wearing leggings being followed from behind were also found. A notepad was also found with notes of locations and some names of women – including schoolgirls.
Renouf, who has no previous convictions, had been working as a ‘senior management accountant’ but is now listed on his Linkedin profile as ‘on a career break’.
Advocate Julian Gollop, defending, said that his client was a man of good character with no previous offences who had, since his adolescence, developed an addiction to pornography. He claimed he used this as a mechanism to cope with anxiety and depression.
He added that his client had admitted having a problem and called on Magistrate Bridget Shaw to impose a term of probation and community service – a sentence he said would provide punishment but also rehabilitation – forcing him to complete an ‘intensive’ sexual offence course.
Responding to comments made by Mrs Shaw about potentially imposing a custodial sentence, Advocate Gollop said it was currently unclear whether the course would be available to him in prison.
‘There are lots of ifs – if whether or not he makes an application for the course in prison, if the prison psychologist has the time and availability to do it and if the course can be completed while he is in prison.
‘If you accept that this man needs further help to reduce and remove the risk of further offending, then I ask rhetorically with the greatest of respect, why would you send him to prison?,’ he said.
In sentencing, Mrs Shaw said despite the serious nature of the offences, she would be able to spare him prison.
She added: ‘This was a violation of privacy and you had absolutely no right to do it. Every woman should be able to walk the streets of St Helier and shop in St Helier confident of their safety and you denied that to a number of women.
‘It is fortunate that these women were not aware of your behaviour as they would have felt mortified, humiliated and embarrassed.’
