A man from Calderdale, Robert Holden, has been imprisoned for voyeurism offences after surreptitiously recording numerous victims over 14 years.
Robert Holden (51) of Sowerby Bridge was sentenced to six years and two months in prison at Bradford Crown Court today (September 27) for 31 counts of voyeurism and seven counts of computer abuse.
Robert Holden had pleaded guilty to the offences, which took place at a property in Calderdale at which he filmed 28 victims using hidden recording equipment.
The voyeurism offence took place between 2006 and 2020, with the computer misuse offences occurring from 2006 and involving an additional seven victims.
The offending was first reported to West Yorkshire Police in November 2020 after a female victim noticed a suspicious sensor unit in a bathroom at a property.
On examining the sensor, she found what she suspected to be a recording device and contacted West Yorkshire Police.
Officers attended and, upon confirming the sensor contained recording equipment, launched a more comprehensive investigation into other offences that had taken place at the house.
Detailed enquiries followed over several months, during which specialist officers seized and examined Robert Holden’s electronic equipment for offending footage and worked to identify victims.
DI Jarrod McSharry of Calderdale District Police said: “It is hard to think of a worse or more devious abuse of trust than that committed by Robert Holden against his victims.
“Robert Holden used his skills in IT to set up elaborate spying equipment, which he used to commit multiple voyeurism offences against large numbers of persons who had no idea they were being filmed.
“Victims were horrified to discover how Holden had abused their fundamental right to privacy and dignity by setting up cameras in a bathroom and bedroom for his perverted gratification.
“I want to thank those victims for their bravery in supporting a significant and long-running investigation to unravel Holden’s extensive offending.”
He added: “We continue to urge all victims of sexual offending to come forward. All reports of sexual offences are treated with the utmost seriousness and fully investigated by specialist officers, with the needs of victims are at the heart of every investigation.”
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