Creepy pensioner hid camera in sock to upskirt schoolgirls at Hamilton Starbucks

Hamilton Sheriff Court heard staff became suspicious of Andreas Koursarys and contacted police.

A creepy pensioner has been locked up after he used a camera hidden in his sock to upskirt schoolgirls at Starbucks.

Hamilton Sheriff Court heard Andreas Koursarys was himself caught on camera as he targeted the unsuspecting females.

The 74-year-old has a previous conviction for exactly the same offence.

Divorced dad of three Koursarys, of Philips Wynd, Hamilton, admitted filming the genitals, buttocks or underwear of girls aged 13 to 16 without their consent.

It happened at Starbucks in Hamilton Retail Park on five occasions between August 22 and September 2 last year.

Daisy Bentley, prosecuting, said Koursarys would go into the cafe, order a drink and sit at a table.

When schoolgirls wearing short skirts arrived he would move to a table closer to them.

CCTV showed him moving his leg toward girls and fidgeting with his trouser leg. A "small rectangular-shaped object" could be seen pointing at girls.

Staff eventually became suspicious and police were contacted.

Officers raided the accused's home and seized phones as well as socks that had holes cut in them to allow Koursarys to film his victims.

Ms Bentley told the court: "No images were recovered from the phones. The accused told officers he watched the images and deleted them right away, saying he didn't mean to cause any harm to the girls."

Defence lawyer Raeanu Taggart said her client was "ashamed and embarrassed".

She told the court: "There is no justification or explanation for his behaviour.

"Thoughts came into his head and he felt the need to do this.

"He acted without thought for the consequences of his actions."

Koursarys was given a community payback order instead of a prison sentence for a similar offence in 2019.

Ms Taggart said the retired sales manager has heart problems and also suffers from diabetes.

She asked for his bail to be continued while background reports are prepared.

But Sheriff John Speir said: "He appears to have a previous conviction for more or less the same thing.

"I'm not satisfied that it is appropriate to continue bail."

Sentence was deferred until next month for background reports, an electronic tagging assessment and a risk assessment.

Koursarys was remanded in custody and placed on the sex offenders' register.

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