A 64-year-old man yesterday pleaded guilty to behaving in a disorderly manner by taking photographs of children in a Highland branch of McDonald’s.
Stephen Tasker, then living in Cornwall but now at Graine Park, Kirkwall, admitted the offence using his mobile phone camera to point at children in Fort William’s McDonalds on February 23.
Fiscal Martine Eastwood described how there were two mums and five kids together in the fast-food outlet.
The two women saw Tasker apparently filming the children with his camera.
One of the mothers went behind Tasker on a pretext and saw the children on the camera. She told the McDonalds duty manager who spoke to the man.
He claimed he was standing looking at the phone camera at that particular angle to watch a video and avoid the sunshine reflecting off the screen.
The mums demanded he delete the child sequence which he did and apologised. However, the manager informed the police.
A background report on Tasker said there was a ‘ minimum risk’ of him repeating the offence.
Deferring sentence on Tasker for six months for his good behaviour, Sheriff Bill Taylor told him.’ You will be aware the public is becoming more and more alarmed at photographs being taken of children. The court has to regulate such activities.’
