"She began to scream and said 'are you recording me'."
A Met Police officer faces jail after he was caught filming a woman as she was getting undressed in a Primark changing room.
Officers were called to Southside Shopping Centre in Wandsworth just before 5 pm on March 30, 2022.
A woman heard a rustling sound in the changing cubicle next door as she tried on clothes.
Prosecutor Hussain Suleman told Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court:
“She looked underneath and saw there was a gap and a black mobile phone with its camera up.
“She began to scream and said ‘are you recording me’. She heard a response and he said no.”
The woman alerted her boyfriend who called security. PC Swaleh Chaudhry was held by security officers until police arrived and he was arrested.
It was then found that Chaudhry had numerous upskirting videos in his possession. He also had child and bestiality porn.
He was immediately suspended from duty.
An investigation was subsequently launched.
Chaudhry’s home in Wimbledon was searched and officers found up to 100 indecent images of children in category A, the most serious kind.
Officers also found thousands of category B and C images and pornography involving sex with animals.
The images were found on numerous devices in a box on his bedroom shelf, including four USB sticks, two Nokia mobile phones, two storage devices, two laptops and two iPhones.
On April 1, 2022, Chaudhry pleaded guilty to one count of voyeurism, three counts of making indecent images of a child and one count of possession of extreme pornography.
Mr Suleman said the Met Police officer could face further charges as electronic devices found in his home are yet to be examined and are suspected of containing more indecent images.
Applying for bail, defence barrister Robert Morris said Chaudhry was of previous good character and had accepted responsibility for the images.
He said they had been downloaded between 2012 and 2014 and added he was “keen” to seek help for his voyeurism.
Deputy Chief Magistrate Tan Ikran said:
“I take into account the nature of offending you have accepted and have grounds to believe you would interfere or obstruct the course of justice.
“As a police officer would know how to obstruct the police in securing the same.”
Mr Suleman said that the “investigation is ongoing and police are examining footage”.
He added:
“There is a concern as there are a number of exhibits not yet examined.”
Chaudhry will be sentenced at Kingston Crown Court at a later date.
Commander Kyle Gordon, who leads the Met’s Taskforce said:
“Constable Swaleh Chaudhry’s actions are shocking, thoroughly reprehensible and contrary to everything for which the Metropolitan Police stand.
“It is right that he now faces the full consequences of his actions.
“Within the 48 hours since Constable Choudhry’s offending came to light a fast and thorough investigation has been prioritised, he’s been charged and subsequently appeared in court without delay.
“I hope this demonstrates clearly to everyone that we continue to do everything we can to root out wrongdoing within our own ranks and we will work swiftly to bring such officers to justice as we work to rebuild the public’s trust and confidence in us.”
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