Aberdeen electrician who secretly hid cameras in women's homes jailed

An Aberdeen electrician who admitted secretly filming more than a dozen people in their homes over the course of a decade has been jailed.

James Denholm pleaded guilty to a number of charges including voyeurism and stalking between 2013 and 2023.

Denholm was caught after one of his victims discovered a recording device under her bed in 2022 and alerted police.

After officers searched Denholm's home, several devices were uncovered including hard drives, SD cards, mobile phones, laptops and cameras.

Evidence of his offending, involving 17 people, was recovered from the devices, with videos dating from June 2013 until August 2023.

A number of women were filmed in intimate situations without their consent, prosecutors said.

The 34-year-old also admitted possessing indecent images and videos of children between 2007 and 2012.

At Aberdeen Sheriff Court on September 2, he was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison as well as being placed on the sex offenders list indefinitely.

Denholm will also remain under supervision for a further two years and six months following his release.

"Exploited a position of trust"

Alison McKenzie, Procurator Fiscal for Grampian, Highlands and Islands, said: “James Denholm exploited a position of trust to gain access to his victims during this alarming pattern of behaviour.

“He filmed several individuals during private moments in places where they should have felt safe, such as their own homes and in public bathrooms.

“His depraved behaviour has had lasting consequences on a number of those targeted during this sickening campaign, which also involved a number of former partners.

“I hope this conviction serves as a warning to others that we take crimes of this nature extremely seriously and will use all the tools available to us to seek justice.”

Police Scotland Detective Inspector Mark Lambley said: “Denholm now faces the consequences of his despicable and distressing actions. Our thoughts remain with his victims who had their privacy violated. We hope that his sentencing will bring them some comfort.

“Sexual crime of any nature will not to be tolerated. We will thoroughly investigate any reports made to us, no matter how much time has passed. I would urge people to come forward and you can be assured of being fully supported by officers and our partner agencies.”

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