South Yorkshire sick pool pervert jailed after hiding camera in girls' changing rooms

A pervert filmed girls getting changed in a swimming pool changing room through a hole which was drilled in a partition, a court heard.
Doncaster DomeDoncaster Dome
Doncaster Dome

Stephen Cocking, aged 53, admitted possessing indecent images of children, voyeurism and possessing extreme images at an earlier hearing. Cocking, of Grange Road, Rotherham, recorded young girls and adults getting changed at Doncaster Dome Leisure Centre around June 14 last year, Sheffield Crown Court.

The Dome has since put in place major improvements to its changing facilities.

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But Cocking was jailed for 18 months and banned from swimming pools for 10 years.

Prosecutor Michael Tooley told the court that he believed Cocking or another person drilled a hole between a partition dividing changing cubicles and then used it to film young girls and adults.

The voyeurism came to light when he was arrested on July 1 last year after shop workers on Mexborough High Street spotted him filming young girls’ and adults’ bottoms.

Officers discovered that Cocking downloaded 1,455 child porn images and videos onto his computer and mobile phone, including footage recorded at the swimming pool and in Mexborough.

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The court heard that the recordings in Mexborough showed the bottoms of young girls and adults.

Cocking’s stash included 168 images which were Category A, the worst kind – 163 at category B – and 1,124 at Category C.

Police also discovered 263 extreme videos that included adults having sex with animals.

When he was being interviewed by police about his rimes Cocking tried to defend himself by saying “everybody likes a bottom”.

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Pamela Coxon, defending, asked Judge David Dixon not to jail Cocking and argued that “there are just over 10 per cent of images at Category A”.

She said: “The risk of serious harm that Mr Cocking poses to the community is one that can be managed in the community.”

But Judge Dixon decided that Cocking needed to be jailed.

Judge Dixon said: “You made videos of males and females who thought they were in a private place where they thought they were entitled to privacy. The only reason you did that is for your own sexual gratification.

“You need to realise that what you were doing here was horrible and you need to realise it quickly.”

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Cocking was also ordered to inform the police if he changes address or goes on holiday.

A spokesperson for Doncaster Dome said: “The safety and security of our customers is our number one priority.

“Our changing village has just been refurbished and our staff are all fully trained to spot suspicious behaviour.

“We worked closely with the police and are pleased that the courts have dealt with the individual involved.

“We will continue to be vigilant in this area.”