Edinburgh crime: Man who exposed himself at Camera Obscura for a 'laugh' avoids sex offenders register

A prankster who exposed himself at an Edinburgh tourist attraction has escaped being placed on the Sex Offenders Register.
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Callum Carlyle, 25, was in an optical illusion room with his partner at the popular Camera Obscura tourist spot when he decided to pull his genitals out in a “jokey” bid to make it look bigger.

But the stunt backfired when images from the room were beamed onto a screen in a nearby area where members of the public – including a 15-year-old schoolgirl – were watching on in August 2020.

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The indecent joke was then reported to police and landed the “embarrassed” mechanic in the dock at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Tuesday (September 20) where he pleaded guilty to an amended charge of breach of the peace.

Callum Carlyle from Dumfries and Galloway has escaped the sex offenders register after exposing himself at Edinburgh's Camera ObscuraCallum Carlyle from Dumfries and Galloway has escaped the sex offenders register after exposing himself at Edinburgh's Camera Obscura
Callum Carlyle from Dumfries and Galloway has escaped the sex offenders register after exposing himself at Edinburgh's Camera Obscura

Fiscal depute Ross Carvel told the court Carlyle and his girlfriend were within the Ames Room at Camera Obscura where an optical illusion makes things look bigger than they actually are.

The fiscal said: “The accused was alone within the room when he unbuckled his belt, unzipped his trousers and removed his flaccid penis. He then held his penis in his hand and walked to the other side of the room and he appeared to grow in size.

“He then put his penis back inside his trousers. His partner walked out of the room and witnesses heard her saying ‘I can’t take you anywhere’.”

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Mr Carvel then explained members of the public were in a separate room where they “observed” Carlyle’s stunt being displayed on a screen at around 1.30pm on August 1, 2020.

Solicitor Nigel Bruce, defending, said his client had believed the prank to be “a great laugh” between him and his partner and was unaware others could view him at the time.

Mr Bruce said Carlyle, from Sanquhar, Dumfries and Galloway, is “greatly embarrassed” by his court appearance and he “deeply regrets” the incident which he described as “stupid horseplay”.

The lawyer said the mechanic had the belief he could be placed on the register “hanging over him for two years” but there had been “no significant sexual element” to his behaviour.

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Sheriff Fiona Reith was also told the Crown did not view the prank to be a sexual act and handed out an admonishment to the embarrassed tradesman.

Carlyle pleaded guilty to an amended charge of conducting himself in a disorderly manner and did expose his penis and did commit a breach of the peace at Camera Obscura, Royal Mile, Edinburgh, on August 1, 2020.