Pervert jailed for taking upskirt photos at Waverley

Neil Trotter was caught filming at Waverley. Picture: Ciaran Donnelly

Neil Trotter, 54, followed his victims heading out of the station and used his mobile phone to capture the images.

The civil servant – who used to work in Deputy First Minister and Finance Secretary John Swinney’s office – was placed on the sex offenders register for ten years. A court heard yesterday that his life was in ruins and his family on the brink of financial collapse after he was sacked following his arrest.

Trotter filmed the women as he arrived in the Capital after commuting from his home in Forrest View, Polmont, near Falkirk.

Thomas Trotter was caught taking photos up women's skirts at Waverley station. Picture: Ian Georgeson

He was caught after a fellow traveller reported his suspicious behaviour to the British Transport Police.

Officers set up a surveillance operation and detained him the next day as he left the station.

An examination of his home computer then found 22 videos filmed on his mobile between June 11 and September 29, 2014.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard that the camera had been directed under women’s skirts, recording zoomed-in images of their buttocks and private parts.

As well as at Waverley, the pervert also committed the sickening acts at the Buchanan Galleries shopping centre in Glasgow.

At a previous hearing when Trotter pleaded guilty, prosecutor fiscal depute Aidan Higgins told Sheriff Peter Braid: “As he made his way out of Waverley Station he came to the attention of a fellow commuter because he seemed to be acting in a curious manner, a sinister manner.

“As he entered the escalator, he was clearly making an effort to get very close to a female ahead of him.

“He was seen to be holding his mobile phone in such a way that it was clear he was using his phone to get under the lady’s skirt, taking photographs of areas under the skirt, buttocks and other parts.”

Defence solicitor Neil Hay said Trotter was “ashamed” of his behaviour.

He added: “He [Trotter] is most ashamed of his actions. He is well aware his behaviour is unacceptable to the community. This is not a victimless crime. He is sorry for what he has done.

“He has lost his career, brought his family to the brink of financial ruin and brought shame and humiliation to himself and, regretfully, to those very close to him.”

Sentencing Trotter, Sheriff Braid told him he took into account everything that had been said on his behalf, but added: “The repugnance society must feel towards these offences is such that, in my view, there is no alternative to a custodial sentence, in retribution and to deter others.”