An Orpington man has been fined £576 after pleading guilty to ‘upskirting’ a woman at a Co-op store. Joseph Farage, 31, from Foxwood Grove, was convicted of placing his mobile phone beneath the woman’s clothing without her consent on July 17, 2024, with the intent to observe her genitals, buttocks, or underwear.
Farage admitted the offence in a hearing at Croydon Magistrates’ Court on Friday, January 17. The case is a stark reminder of the continued importance of tackling invasive and inappropriate behaviour, as ‘upskirting’ was officially made a criminal offence in England and Wales six years ago.
As part of the sentencing, Farage was ordered to pay £200 in compensation to the victim and fined £576 for his actions. The offence took place in a Co-op store, where Farage used his mobile phone to violate the woman’s privacy.
Magistrates confirmed that Farage’s guilty plea, combined with his previous lack of convictions, influenced the sentence, though the seriousness of the offence was not underestimated.
The ‘upskirting’ law, which came into force in 2019, made it clear that placing a device under someone’s clothing without consent with the aim of capturing images of their intimate areas is a criminal offence. The legislation aimed to close legal loopholes and ensure that perpetrators are held accountable for such intrusive acts.
Farage’s conviction has brought further attention to the prevalence of ‘upskirting’ incidents and the ongoing effort to protect individuals from such invasive and humiliating actions in public spaces.
