Stewart Stenhouse

A disturbing incident unfolded at Greenock's Oak Mall shopping centre on June 17, 2023, when Stewart Stenhouse, a 44-year-old man, was caught secretly filming a group of young girls. Eyewitnesses raised the alarm after observing his suspicious behaviour, which prompted immediate intervention by security staff and led to his arrest by police.

The court heard that Stenhouse followed four young females through the mall, holding his mobile phone at stomach level to record them without their permission. The footage, later reviewed by authorities, captured the area between the girls' knees and waists, prompting prosecutors to assert a clear sexual element to his actions. A shocked witness notified security after seeing Stenhouse trail the group for several metres around 3.15pm, describing the scene as one that immediately suggested sexual gratification as the motive.

• Stenhouse attempted to flee when confronted but was detained by security.
• He admitted his actions to staff, who contacted police.
• CCTV footage from the centre corroborated the witness account, leading to his arrest.

At Greenock Sheriff Court, Stenhouse pleaded guilty to breach of the peace prior to sentencing on May 29, 2024. Sheriff James Varney, having reviewed the disturbing video, remarked on its 'significant sexual element' and described it as 'extremely disturbing'. Despite the severity, the sheriff opted against a custodial sentence, imposing a community payback order as an alternative. This included 24 months of supervision, 135 hours of unpaid work within 12 months, and placement on the Sex Offenders Register for two years.

Defence lawyer Ellen Macdonald highlighted Stenhouse's insight into the offence and its impact on the victims during the hearing. A previous defence submission claimed he was unaware of the girls' ages, but the sheriff expressed lingering concerns over his explanations to the criminal justice social work team. Sheriff Varney warned that non-compliance with the order would result in imprisonment. The case, reported by the Greenock Telegraph, underscores the vigilance of shoppers and security in preventing such predatory behaviour in public spaces.