Registered Sex Offender Caught Taking Photos of Women at Manchester Pride

A registered sex offender was apprehended by plain clothes police officers for taking "hundreds" of pictures of women at a Pride event in Manchester.

Andrew Smoggie, 51, of Thelwall Lane, Warrington, also known as Andrew Mackie, was observed acting "suspiciously" around women on Peter Street during Manchester Pride.

Police officers, upon inspecting his phone, discovered numerous pictures of women, many of which they suspected were taken at the Pride event.

Specialist officers noticed Smoggie walking around with his phone held to his ear, yet the screen was discreetly positioned in photo mode. They witnessed him taking a picture of a woman who was unaware of his actions and confronted him.

Subsequent investigation revealed that Smoggie was a registered sex offender with a court order prohibiting him from taking pictures of any women not known to him while in public.

Smoggie was charged with breaching his Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO). An SHPO is a court order initiated by the police, imposed in court when concerns regarding an individual arise.

The order can remain in effect for at least five years or be imposed indefinitely by a court. Any breach of the order is considered a criminal offense.

SHPO conditions can encompass disclosing owned devices to the police, reporting contact details, and in specific cases, restricting movement within the community.

Smoggie was remanded in police custody and appeared in Manchester & Salford Magistrates court on August 29, where he pleaded guilty to the charge.