Serial British voyuer breaches sex offender order 3rd time

Garry Willey, Evening Chronicle

SERIAL sex pest Andrew Mackie took more secret snapshots of women shoppers – just weeks after finishing a jail term.

The sleazy voyeur, now branded “perverted” by a Tyneside judge, was given a Sex Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) as long ago as October 2006.

Part of the order forbid Mackie, of Washington, from having any mobile fitted with a camera.
The ban was aimed at finally ending the 37 year old’s obsession with targeting unsuspecting women in public – taking photos of their bottoms and up their skirts.

But in April this year he was jailed for five months for a second SOPO breach.

And although he was released in June with the order still running, he was caught snapping more women at The Galleries, Washington, in July, Newcastle Crown Court heard.
Mackie, who has previous convictions for indecent assault and threatening behaviour as well as voyeurism, admitted a third SOPO breach.

Only a detailed report saying probation officers still believed they could work with him in the community saved him from another immediate prison term.

“You are an obsessive voyeur,” Judge Guy Whitburn told him. “You take photographs of women who are unaware of you photographing them for your own sexual gratification.

“The fact of the matter is you engage in these weird, perverted acts. It is the most curious form of perversion, but perversion it certainly is.”

Mackie, who has spent 26 days in custody since his arrest, was given a nine-month jail term, suspended for 36 weeks with supervision.

He must also attend a probation-run sex offender group programme due to begin next month. The SOPO remains in force.

“It is an order of the court,” Judge Whitburn warned. “It must be obeyed.”
Mackie is now anxious to change his barrister, Lee Fish told the court.

“He now knows, having spent some time in custody, what will happen if he continues to flagrantly breach this order,” Mr Fish added.

“The defendant readily accepts the help probation can provide him with and he is ready to take advantage of that.”

Mackie was seen in The Galleries bus station repeatedly pressing a button on a mobile he was carrying, said Sarah Guest, prosecuting. A witness realised he was taking a photograph of a female wearing a low top and kept looking at other women, the court heard.

He was arrested and accepted he had been taking photographs of women even though he knew he was not allowed to use a camera phone, Ms Guest told the court.