A school caretaker who secretly spied on young girls changing during a dance show has been sentenced to 14 months in prison. Stuart Martin, 50, used a CCTV camera to watch girls aged 11 to 14 changing costumes at a school production in East Lancashire early in 2023. Martin, the school’s site manager, allowed the girls to change in the corridor without revealing the presence of a camera.
The caretaker was exposed when the school’s IT manager noticed suspicious activity on a CCTV terminal reviewing footage of the corridor for an extended period. Upon investigation, the IT manager informed the headteacher and regional estates manager about the safeguarding breach. Martin was arrested on the same day but denied any wrongdoing, claiming he was monitoring the CCTV to prevent damage by the dance group.
During the sentencing at Preston Crown Court, it was revealed that most of the performers were under 16, and the girls Martin watched were between 11 and 14 years old. Judge Ian Unsworth condemned Martin’s actions, stating that he had deeply upset the victims’ parents. The judge highlighted that Martin had violated a CCTV agreement he signed months before the incident, showing a blatant disregard for trust policies.
Parents expressed their disgust in victim personal statements, with one emphasizing that Martin should face consequences and never repeat his actions. Martin’s defense lawyer, Emma Kehoe, argued that he had acknowledged his mistake and shown remorse. Despite the offenses occurring over two years ago and no further misconduct, Martin was handed a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and required to register as a sex offender for the same period.
