A Ramsey man who took 25,000 photos of unsuspecting women and girls, some as young as 14, was this week given a suspended sentence.

Craig Neil Taylor, of Royal Park, was sentenced to 14 weeks’ custody, suspended for two years, and made the subject of a Suspended Sentence Supervision Order (SSSO) for two years.

He had previously pleaded guilty to three harassment charges after he admitted taking the photos on his phone, mainly of the lower half of girls and women, over a period of more than three years.

The Manx Independent previously reported how Taylor, who is 45, was arrested after a complaint was made by three teenage girls aged 14, 15 and 17.

Police found photos, which were taken between September 2013 and March 2017, many of which were said to show girls in school uniform or women in black tights.

It had been suggested that Taylor took photos while walking his dog, when women or girls would interact with him, but he denied he had used the dog for this purpose.

The case had been adjourned to allow time for the preparation of a probation report and doctor’s report, which described Taylor’s behaviour as ’predatory stalking’ and said that he was suffering from a ’depressive episode’.

Taylor’s defence advocate, Roger Kane, told the court: ’There are good reasons to step back from imposing an immediate custodial sentence. Mr Taylor is 45 and has no previous convictions.

He was fully co-operative with police and gave a detailed account of his behaviour when interviewed.

’We would ask the court to take into account the medical ailments of his partner, who is in court to support him, and his mental health, which the doctor’s report goes into.

concerns

’There will be concerns in the report that are best addressed in a non-custodial environment, by way of supervision by probation services.

’There was significant publicity after his first appearance which resulted in his face being plastered all over the papers and quite a lot of online attention. He was unable to leave the house for a number of days and couldn’t eat. The impact of that notoriety was magnified in such a small community.’

It was said that Taylor’s offending had started after his wife’s diagnosis with an illness and the death of his father.

Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes said: ’I have to say I find your reaction to your wife’s illness to be bizarre. You should have been there at all times as a rock for her and not exposing her to humiliation and embarrassment. It’s hardly surprising the press picked up on this offending given the nature of it.’