A man was caught filming women through their windows at night while dressed in all black before being arrested by police.
Father-of-two Anthony Durkan, 36,of Islington, north London, pleaded guilty to 19 charges of voyeurism at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.
This follows seven guilty pleas to voyeurism charges on March 26 at the same court – bringing the total number of offences to 26.
Following the guilty pleas, the Metropolitan Police released video footage from his arrest on March 25 earlier this year, and from nearby properties where he attempted to film.
In the footage, Durkan is shown approaching a house on his tip toes with his face covered and peering through windows, before putting his phone past a window railing in order to film inside.
Body-worn footage then shows a plain clothes officer approaching Durkan as he appeared to be loitering outside a house while holding a mobile phone.
He was told he was under arrest on suspicion of voyeurism.
Durkan replied: “Voyeurism?” before being handcuffed and having his phone seized.
In a police interview, an officer tells Durkan they have identified a “hidden folder” on his phone with galleries containing 162 videos and 99 photos.
An officer then states: “With the exception of maybe three images, all of which just appear to be of landscape or generally pointed at the floor, every single image or video is footage or an image taken of a female who appears to be unaware that she is being filmed.”
Detective Chief Inspector Gemma Alger, whose team led the investigation, said: “Durkan’s offending represented a serious and sustained course of predatory behaviour, deliberately targeting women who were entirely unaware they were being filmed, without their consent and in the privacy of their own homes.
“I want to thank the women who had the courage to come forward and report Durkan’s crimes. Their reports, supported by witnesses and swift investigative work, enabled officers to act decisively and arrest Durkan during a proactive patrol.
“This conviction reflects the severity of these crimes and means a dangerous individual has been removed from the streets of London, preventing further harm to women.”
The Metropolitan Police has put out an appeal to women in north London who may have “noticed unusual activity around their home, especially late at night or in the early hours of the morning” between January 2020 and March 2026.
A spokesperson for the force said: “Examination of Durkan’s seized devices uncovered extensive evidence of further voyeurism offences, prompting detectives to review historic crime reports where no suspect had been identified and all viable lines of enquiry exhausted.
“This led to Durkan being linked to offences dating back to January 2020. Detectives are now working to identify additional victims.
“Officers are particularly keen to hear from women in Islington and north London between January 2020 and March 2026 who may have noticed unusual activity around their home, especially late at night or in the early hours of the morning.
“Members of the public are also asked to report suspicious behaviour, such as someone lingering near residential properties, looking through windows, or using a phone or camera.
“Footage captured on doorbell or CCTV cameras could prove vital.”
The investigation team can be contacted directly via e-mail at [email protected].
Alternatively, information can be provided anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Durkan was released on conditional bail and will be sentenced at a date to be determined at Snaresbrook Crown Court.
