MANCHESTER — A 45-year-old man who secretly filmed women, a man, and a child undressing inside gym changing room cubicles has been sentenced at Manchester Crown Court.
Daniel Michalowski of Wythenshawe avoided immediate imprisonment after pleading guilty to charges of voyeurism and taking an indecent photograph of a child. Recorder Sophie Cartwright handed down a suspended jail sentence, noting that the crimes left victims deeply traumatized.
The investigation began earlier this year following an incident at a fitness facility in Wythenshawe. A male staff member finished his shift and went to use the unisex changing rooms alongside his partner. While inside a cubicle, the employee noticed a mobile phone being thrust underneath the partition from an adjoining stall.
Acting quickly, the worker confronted the individual in the neighboring cubicle. When challenged, the offender provided a false name and attempted to exit the area before being intercepted by security personnel who detained him until local police arrived.
Investigation and Recovered Footage
Upon inspecting the suspect’s mobile phone, law enforcement officers recovered a deleted folder containing a video of a woman changing. A subsequent forensic analysis of the device uncovered 19 voyeuristic videos capturing 13 separate victims in various stages of undress over a three-month period. Among the files was a minute-long recording of a child, alongside clips of naked women.
During police questioning, Michalowski admitted to capturing the footage but denied any sexual motivation, absurdly claiming he recorded the victims “out of curiosity.” However, prosecutors highlighted that investigators found numerous online searches for voyeurism material on adult pornography websites prior to his arrest.
Impact on Victims and Legal Outcome
Victim impact statements presented to the court detailed the profound psychological fallout of the invasion of privacy. One victim revealed she had previously experienced voyeurism during her childhood, stating the gym incident compounded past trauma. Meanwhile, the mother of the child victim shared that she and her partner chose to withhold the details of the crime from the child to prevent it from ruining their passion for sports.
Defense counsel Damian Zelazowski noted that the defendant has since acknowledged experiencing “excitement” through his actions and has begun attending counseling sessions to address his behavior.
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In addition to the suspended prison sentence, Michalowski was ordered to complete the Building Choices rehabilitation program, complete 10 days of rehabilitation activity requirements, and perform 100 hours of unpaid community work. He was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register and subjected to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, both remaining in effect for 10 years.
