Antony Dines has avoided a jail term for hiding a camera in a coffee shop toilet
A devout Christian who hid a spy camera inside an air vent at a Starbucks toilet to satisfy his fetish for watching women urinate avoided a jail sentence today.
Antony Dines, 31, was caught after the tiny device was discovered above the loo in the branch in Vauxhall, south London, directly opposite MI6’s HQ.
Dines hid another device in a ladies’ toilet on the third floor at his workplace at New Malden Business Centre in south-west London.
He was arrested in front of law firm colleagues with a bag containing small cameras, memory cards, a screwdriver and nine pairs of women’s underwear.
The match-boxed size camera at Starbucks had been left filming for nine months before a customer found it in the air vent on November 27 last year.
Detectives released an image of Dines a year ago in which he could be seen reaching up towards the camera.
He was finally arrested nearly a year later in New Malden on November 22 and later admitted four charges of voyeurism.
Hines was caught after police found footage of him installing the device above the toilet
The tiny camera was in the toilet for around nine months before it was spotted by a customer
Dines was sentenced to a 12 month community order, and ordered to perform 200 hours of unpaid work. He was also fined £170 and ordered to sign on the sex offenders register for five years.
Prosecutor George Crivelli said a male customer was using the loo on 22 November last year when he ‘looked up at the ceiling and noticed a light shining.
‘Upon closer inspection it became clear that he could see a camera, he stood on the toilet seat and touched the device.’
Police took the camera away for forensic analysis but could not find Dines’ DNA.
Mr Crivelli said: ‘But a download was done of the contents and on one of the pieces of footage it is clear that the defendant can be seen.’
Hines admitted voyeurism and was given a community order at court today
Dines was seen using a screwdriver when he filmed himself installing it and wiped the toilet seat clean of his foot prints.
The prosecutor said: ‘He freely admitted that he had placed the camera in February 2016.
‘He stated that had a fetish for watching women urinate.’
Dines also placed a camera at his own workplace ‘in order to receive sexual gratification.’
‘He placed a camera on the third floor ladies’ toilet,’ added the prosecutor.
The prosecutor said up to 24 videos of people using the toilet were found on one of the cameras, which was voice-operated to only film when someone was in the room.
A spokesman for Starbucks has since said as soon as they were made aware of the distressing discovery they contacted the police.
They said they take the responsibility of providing a safe environment very seriously and did not know who placed the camera.
Dines worked as a Facilities and General Office Assistant for a firm of solicitors and was responsible for health and safety compliance and environmental management.
The device was hidden in the toilets at this Starbucks coffee shop in Vauxhall, south London
He was also a devout Christian and a regular speaker at Cornerstone Church, Kingston-upon-Thames.
Peter Woodcock, a senior pastor at the church, said in a letter read to the court. ‘Obviously I am devastated and appalled to hear about Antony’s behaviour, so when I became aware I immediately rang the police to report him.
‘I am not belittling what Antony has done but I would say that it is completely out of character, Antony has always shown great care for others.’
Dines appeared in the dock wearing an open collar shirt and V-neck sweater as Chief Magistrate, Edward Gold told him: ‘We have considered your case with care and listened to both the probation officer and to your representative.
‘We have come to the conclusion that this case does fall into the second category and in light of that we will be making a community order.’