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24
Jan
Man admits taking picture under 11-year-old girl's skirt in Ripon
A man has pleaded guilty to taking a picture up a girl’s skirt while she was walking to school in Ripon.
Joel Humberstone, 26, of Woodville Square in Leeds, appeared before Harrogate Magistrates Court this morning where he spoke only to confirm his name, address and enter a plea.
Humbertstone, who was wearing a black suit and trainers, admitted operating a mobile phone camera beneath the clothing of another person without consent on June 7 last year.
He also pleaded guilty to a charge of attempting to operate a mobile phone camera beneath clothing of another without consent on the same date.
Alison Whiteley, prosecuting, told the court that Humberstone walked past the 11-year-old victim on the morning of June 7 while she was on her way to school in Ripon.
The 26-year-old brushed by the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and “passed a phone by her leg”, Whiteley said.
The 11-year-old walked on and "thought nothing of it", the prosecution added.
The court heard that Humberstone then came up behind her and lifted up her skirt and took a photograph.
Ms Whiteley said:
Two builders saw this. One stayed with her while the other gave chase. The defendant was later identified through a police media appeal.
North Yorkshire Police later arrested the defendant on June 10, 2024, and charged him.
Humberstone’s defence told the court that there was “no evidence” that the images were made available to others.
They added that the defendant had an issue with drugs, namely cocaine, and would experience “dissociative” feelings and “feel detached from reality”.
Magistrates adjourned the case for sentencing on February 27, 2025, at Harrogate Magistrates Court.
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