A PERVERT was caught attempting to film a mother and her eight-month-old baby son while they were changing.

The “disgraceful” incident took place in the changing rooms of the Meadow Centre swimming pool in Dumbarton.

Robert Gordon, 64, whose address in court was given as Greenock Prison, appeared from custody on indictment at Dumbarton Sheriff Court on Tuesday, October 3.

He pleaded guilty to recording, or attempting to record, the mother and her son in a state of undress on June 27 this year at the Meadow Centre.

Gordon, who has previous convictions for similar offences, also admitted trying to conceal evidence of his guilt on the same day, in that he claimed he swallowed a SIM card when he, in fact, concealed it, therefore attempting to pervert the course of justice.

His behaviour was described by a sheriff as an “act of disgraceful wickedness.”

Fiscal depute Kevin Doherty told the court: “He [Gordon] appeared from custody on June 28 in respect of this matter, he made no plea and was committed for further examination.

“The complainer is a young woman in her 30s and her son was eight-months-old.

“She took him swimming at the Meadow Centre and the lesson concluded at 11.30am.

“The complainer took him into a small cubicle to change.

“She was in five to 10 minutes, dressing her boy and in doing so she was singing to the child.

“As she turned around to leave the cubicle she noticed a mobile phone being moved from under the cubicle adjacent.

“She started to scream, realising that she was being recorded and screamed that somebody had been filming her.”

The court was told how the mother secured the baby and went to confront the person in the adjacent cubicle.

“The victim was so intimidated by fright but immediately took action to investigate,” said Mr Doherty.

“She left the cubicle and kicked the door open. When she did so, Gordon was standing with his back to her fidgeting with something.”

The victim, the court was told, said to him: “You dirty b******. Were you filming me?”

The complainer was accompanied by two companions who were alerted to the incident.

Mr Doherty said: “The complainer told them what had happened and a male friend attempted to remove the phone from the accused. But he was unable to.”

The incident was reported to staff and the three were said to be “upset and agitated”.

At this point Gordon was still within the cubicle but he eventually appeared and said to members of staff: “Can we go somewhere more private? I will not run.”

It was also revealed that Gordon was escorted to an office and said to staff: “I need help.”

He also said to staff: “I hope you don’t get this too often.”

Mr Doherty said: “He was informed that police were being contacted and would be in attendance.

“Police came to establish the circumstances then informed him he was being detained.

“He said: ‘I’m guilty. I did it’.”

In respect of another charge on the indictment, Gordon said that he had swallowed a SIM card from the phone but it was seized and later examined.

Some time later, the SIM was found by a member of the public and handed to staff.

Mr Doherty said, after witness statements were obtained, the accused was cautioned and charged. When interviewed he made no comment to all questions.

He added: “He was interviewed in connection with the offences and made no comment to all questions. He made no reply on being cautioned and charged.“The phone was analysed, as was the SIM. The outcome was that neither the phone nor the SIM recorded anything, although it’s possible they were recorded on to a Cloud.”

Sheriff Gallacher told Gordon: “This offence of voyeurism was a disgraceful intrusion. It’s an act of disgraceful wickedness.

“You have a history of these offences in this matter, so I will consider the length of the sentence when I get a suitable background report.”

Sentence was deferred until November 16 in order to obtain a criminal justice social work report and Gordon will remain in custody until that time.