A MAN has admitted following a five-year-old schoolgirl around a supermarket and taking pictures of her on his mobile phone.
Alan Forrest, 36, from Edinburgh, took the pictures in August last year while the girl was shopping
Forrest appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court yesterday where he pleaded guilty to conducting himself in a disorderly manner, following and video recording on his mobile phone a girl then aged five to the fear and alarm of her father and commiting a breach of the peace.
Malcolm Stewart, prosecuting, said: “This all started at about quarter to five in the evening. (A father and daughter) went to Asda to do some shopping.
“As they went round the shop they noticed Mr Forrest holding his mobile phone.”
Mr Stewart said that it became apparent to the father that Forrest was holding the phone waist high.
He added: “It was obviously pointing at (the man’s) daughter. It went on for some time and the father went to the security guard and pointed out Mr Forrest.
“The security officer obviously asked Mr Forrest what he was doing.”
Mr Stewart said that the police were called and they looked at CCTV footage which made it clear Mr Forrest had been following the young girl when he shouldn’t have been.
He added that two mobiles phones were confiscated from Forrest by the police.
Mr Stewart said that when interviewed by the police about why he had done it Forrest had said “I don’t know, I just do stupid things.”
Forrest was also asked by police if he received gratification from it to which he had replied “Maybe just because of the uniform.”
He also admitted to carrying out the same activity about once a week but said: “Sorry I shouldn’t have done it.”
Forrest, who was represented by defence solicitor Paul Smith, was placed on the Sex Offenders Register.
Sentence was deferred until February 25 pending background reports on Forrest.
