Electrician watched customers in their homes on secretly installed cameras in Scotland

A “depraved” electrician who filmed his customers with devices he secretly installed in their homes has been jailed for voyeurism.

James Denholm, 34, recorded more than a dozen people when they thought they were in private, including women in “intimate situations”.

Some of his victims were former partners, others were customers who had hired him for electrical work. He also recorded in public bathrooms.

He was caught after a victim found a recording device under her bed in May 2022 and called police, prosecutors said.

James Denholm was jailed after secretly filming people in their private spaces for over a decade. Photo / Police Scotland PA

Denholm was jailed for two years and eight months at Aberdeen Sheriff Court and was added to the sex offenders register indefinitely.

He had earlier admitted to multiple charges, involving 17 people, including voyeurism and stalking. He admitted possessing indecent images and videos of children between 2007 and 2012.

After police were alerted, a raid was carried out on his Aberdeen home where detectives discovered evidence of his offending on hard drives, SD cards, mobile phones, laptops and cameras.

Videos were found dating from June 2013 until August 2023.

‘Sickening campaign’

Alison McKenzie, procurator fiscal for Grampian, Highlands and Islands, said: “James Denholm exploited a position of trust to gain access to his victims during this alarming pattern of behaviour.

“He filmed several individuals during private moments in places where they should have felt safe, such as their own homes and in public bathrooms.

“His depraved behaviour has had lasting consequences on a number of those targeted during this sickening campaign, which also involved a number of former partners.

“I hope this conviction serves as a warning to others that we take crimes of this nature extremely seriously and will use all the tools available to us to seek justice.”

Non-harassment orders, banning Denholm from contacting or attempting to contact four victims, were granted by the court.

He was also made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for seven years.

Police Scotland said they had carried out an “extensive investigation” after being alerted to suspicions about Denholm.

Det Insp Mark Lambley said: “Denholm now faces the consequences of his despicable and distressing actions.

“Our thoughts remain with his victims who had their privacy violated. We hope that his sentencing will bring them some comfort.

“Sexual crime of any nature will not be tolerated. We will thoroughly investigate any reports made to us, no matter how much time has passed.

“I would urge people to come forward and you can be assured of being fully supported by officers and our partner agencies.”