Eccles, of Eastbourne Road in Pevensey Bay, East Sussex, told our reporter “no photos please” as he left the Old Bailey a free man.
‘I dropped my phone’
In February 2023, a mum and her very young daughter were getting changed in a cubicle after they had been swimming at the leisure centre.
The mum noticed a mobile phone being held under the partition, hovering slightly off the ground with the camera pointing up at her.
When challenged, Eccles claimed he dropped his phone.
He later changed his story to say he saw some movement on the reflection of the screen and his “curiosity got the better of him”.
Whilst they did not find any photos or videos taken at the leisure centre, they found a voyeuristic image taken of a woman up to 10 years earlier.
They also found 273 indecent images of children and a further 100 images which weren’t classified as indecent but were indicative of a sexual interest in children, the Old Bailey heard.
He was arrested on March 7, 2023, but Eccles wasn’t charged until March 4, 2025.
“A delay of this sort makes life worse for the victim and changes the landscape for the defendant – I’m lost as to what has happened all this time,” Judge Katz said.
When he finally appeared in court, Eccles pleaded guilty to attempted voyeurism (related to the leisure centre incident), voyeurism, possessing 273 indecent images of children and nine prohibited cartoon images of children.
The mum who was targeted at the leisure centre said she’s suffered depression, anxiety and PTSD since.
“I’m now reluctant to trust anyone, especially men. For example, I’m reluctant to trust men around my daughter,” she said.
“This case has highlighted to me just how pervasive child sexual abuse is, which has made me very worried for my own daughter.”
Police delays lead to sex offender walking free
Eccles, who is going through a divorce and has been cut off from his family as a result of his behaviour, said he feels shame, guilt, regret and remorse.
The author of a pre-sentence report said Eccles has sought treatment for his behaviour and recommended that he should be sentenced to a community order.
Judge Katz said that assessment was way off the mark – “this sails past the custody threshold,” he said.
However, he said sentencing guidelines, backed up by the Court of Appeal, make clear that he must consider a suspended sentence.
He said: “Had you been before me within a reasonable amount of time after your discovery, the view I would have taken would have been very different.
“This is yet another case where resource allocations have meant a case that should have been dealt with two years ago has been delayed, there’s no reasonable explanation.”
Judge Katz said Eccles thoroughly deserves to go to prison but that he had decided to suspend the sentence.
“The only thing that has saved you is how you’ve used the intervening period and the sentencing guidelines tell me I can’t ignore that,” he said.
Eccles was sentenced to two years in custody suspended for two years.
He will be required to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.
Sex offenders’ notification requirements and a sexual harm prevention order will be in place for ten years.
