Paedophile ‘neighbour from hell’ using a secret camera to ‘spy on grandson'

05 February 2024 , 12:43

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Martin insists the camera is angled towards his grandson's tree house (Image: Anita Maric / SWNS)

A man claims a paedophile ‘neighbour from hell’ is using a secret camera to ‘spy’ on his 12-year-old grandson.

Martin Prior noticed spy cam on a lane near his home and contacted police on December 22. Officers came and examined the lens but refused remove it from the fence. The grandad from Herefordshire said: "I reported it to police because I was worried it had been put there by one of our neighbours who is a convicted paedophile. Police have lost interest in this matter and won’t do anything. It is unacceptable."

The man who lives near Mr Prior was previously jailed for nine months for possessing indecent images of children - which raised Mr Prior's concerns after he discovered the camera attached to a fence on a 'mixed private and public' road. The device, he claims, points "towards a treehouse" used by his grandson, 12, and young pals when they visit

A camera has been set up opposite the Priors' home. (Rob Davies/Hereford Times / SWNS)

The 65-year-old explained: "Our grandson is semi-resident with us; until this camera was placed, his young friends and relatives, male and female, came to play here. But we have had to severely curtail these visits to protect these children from the possibility of being filmed. Our niece is not allowed to visit us at all while this horrible situation persists." Mr Prior' s neighbour said he installed the camera after advice from West Mercia Police and claimed it was done over a row over boundaries.

Martin Prior with his wife Jo Prior at their home near Hereford (Rob Davies/Hereford Times / SWNS)

The camera is attached to a fence post which is is on land owned by the sex offender and does not point to his own property. The paedophile was released from jail in autumn after serving a nine-month sentence for possessing indecent pictures of children on his laptop which was used for work.

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Martin and his wife Jo standing outside grandson's treehouse (Anita Maric / SWNS)

Martin reported the matter to police because of his neighbour's past convictions. But he was astonished when police visited and said they couldn't do anything. West Mercia Police's Safer Neighbourhood Team, however, said they would not investigate the camera despite "gross invasion of privacy" claims.

Martin Prior with the CCTV camera filming his property (Rob Davies/Hereford Times / SWNS)

A spokesperson for West Mercia Police said: "We are aware of a concern raised about the placement of a CCTV camera. However, no crime has been reported to us and therefore it is not a police matter. CCTV concerns need to be raised with the Information Commissioner's Office. We can neither confirm nor deny the location or identity of a registered sex offender in the community."

Graeme Murray