A man who filmed upskirting videos of more than 20 victims during one evening in Soho has been jailed.
James Manchand, 62, was sentenced to 20 months imprisonment and was ordered to forfeit a laptop and mobile phone at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on April 10.
Manchand was spotted by officers pacing along queues and hovering around groups of young women outside busy West End venues on January 16.
Suspecting him of scouting for potential thefts, uniformed officers conducted a search and, after taking down his details, police checks revealed that he was a known offender with an active Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) for a previous voyeurism offence.
Manchand was required to hand over his phone and unlock it for inspection. Upon opening the device, officers discovered 29 videos involving more than 20 victims, all filmed that same evening. He was arrested at the scene.
He was also sentenced for a breach of his SHPO in December, when he was stopped by Metropolitan Police officers during a Live Facial Recognition Operation on Tottenham Court Road.
The found Manchand to be using Virtual Private Network software allowing him to erase cookies and browsing history, both of which were explicitly prohibited under his SHPO.
Manchand was charged on January 17 with recording an image under clothing to observe another without consent in relation to the Soho offences, as well as two counts of breaching his SHPO on December 10 2025.
He has been sentenced to 12 months imprisonment for each of two breaches of a SHPO, four months for recording images under clothing, and a further four months’ as part of a previously suspended sentence.
Detective Constable Sam Pearson, who led the investigation, said: “Manchand’s predatory behaviour was calculated, persistent and showed a complete disregard for the women he targeted.
“Thanks to the vigilance and quick instincts of officers on patrol, we were able to intervene before he could continue offending and recover clear evidence that he had committed multiple voyeurism offences in a single evening.
“No one should have to worry about being violated in this way while simply enjoying a night out. We will continue to act swiftly and decisively against anyone who poses a threat to women and girls.”
Commander Clair Kelland, the Met’s public protection lead, said: “Voyeurism can take many forms, but at its core it is a blatant intrusion into someone’s privacy, often carried out in crowded or busy places where victims may not immediately realise what has happened.
“There is absolutely no excuse for this behaviour. Whether motivated by sexual gratification or a desire to cause humiliation, distress or alarm, voyeurism is always deeply unsettling for those targeted.
“We also want to encourage bystanders to look out for one another. If you see someone behaving in a way that feels predatory or attempting to film under clothing, please report it to officers or venue staff straight away. Your quick action could prevent someone from being targeted.”
The officers who caught Manchand were deployed under Operation Martello, targeting theft and pickpocketing hotspots across the West End, as well as violence against women and girls (VAWG).
The Met announced that 23,000 officers and staff have received new, bespoke VAWG training, strengthening investigative skills and improving support for victims.
