Pervert caught by undercover cops after filming 20 women in ONE night
By SCM REPORTER I 16 April 2026
A PREDATORY “upskirter” who targeted more than 20 unsuspecting women in a single night of shame in London’s West End has been hauled behind bars.
James Manchand, 62, was prowling the streets of Soho, hunting for victims in queues outside packed bars and clubs, when he was spotted by eagle-eyed undercover police.
The “prolific” pervert was sentenced to 20 months’ imprisonment at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday after officers discovered a stomach-churning haul of 29 videos on his phone. The creep was snared on January 16 by plain-clothed officers working Operation Martello—a task force usually used to catch pickpockets.
The team became suspicious when they saw Manchand repeatedly pacing back and forth near groups of young women. Thinking he was a thief, they moved in, only to find something much more sinister. After a search, checks revealed Manchand, of Phoenix Street, Camden, was already a known sex offender.
He was subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) for previous voyeurism, which legally forced him to hand over his mobile. On the device, police found dozens of illicit clips filmed just hours earlier.
The court heard that Manchand was also a “calculated” offender who tried to use tech to hide his tracks. In December, he was intercepted by Live Facial Recognition cameras on Tottenham Court Road. When officers stopped him, they found he was using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) to wipe his browsing history—a direct breach of his court-ordered restrictions.
Detective Constable Sam Pearson said: ”Manchand’s predatory behaviour was calculated, persistent and showed a complete disregard for the women he targeted. No one should have to worry about being violated in this way while simply enjoying a night out.”
The Sentence The Camden creep’s luck finally ran out this week. His 20-month sentence includes: 12 months for breaching his sex offender order. 4 months for the Soho upskirting spree. 4 months from a previously suspended sentence that was triggered by his latest crimes. Commander Clair Kelland, the Met’s public protection lead, warned that the force is “relentlessly targeting” sexual offenders.
She urged Londoners to look out for one another, adding: “There is absolutely no excuse for this behaviour.” What is Upskirting? Upskirting—the practice of taking sexually intrusive photographs or videos under a person’s clothing without their consent—became a specific criminal offence in England and Wales in 2019 following a high-profile campaign. Offenders can face up to two years in prison and placement on the Sex Offenders Register.
While Operation Martello was originally designed to combat the West End’s pickpocketing epidemic, the Metropolitan Police has increasingly integrated it into their Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) strategy.
The Met has recently put 23,000 officers through specialist training to spot “predatory behaviour” in the night-time economy, such as stalking, harassment, and voyeurism. Live Facial Recognition (LFR)
This case highlights the Met’s controversial but effective use of LFR technology. By scanning crowds in real-time and comparing faces against a “watchlist” of wanted criminals and those with strict court orders (like Manchand), police are able to intercept known sex offenders even when they aren’t actively committing a fresh crime.
