Police logged record number of up-skirting offences last year, but barely one in 10 led to a charge

Police logged record number of up-skirting offences last year, but barely one in 10 led to a charge EXCLUSIVE: Some 527 women reported perverts secretly filming up their skirts – 35% more than the 390 in 2024 and the highest since the law came into force in 2019 Police logged a record number of up-skirting offences last year – yet barely one in 10 led to a charge. Some 527 women reported perverts secretly filming up their skirts – 35% more than the 390 in 2024 and the highest since the law came into force. But just 58 - 11% - ended with the offender being charged and sent to court. The Home Office data, obtained under Freedom of Information laws, shows four were let off with a caution and one was handed a community resolution. A further 204 cases were shelved without a suspect being identified, and 122 collapsed due to a lack of evidence. The up-skirting sickos used phones, hidden cameras and even shoes fitted with lenses to film under women’s clothing. The offences took place on trains, escalators, in shops and on nights out. Separately, British Transport Police logged 104 upskirting offences last year, more than any other force, but only two have so far led to a charge. Up-skirting became a specific crime in 2019 after campaigner Gina Martin was filmed by a stranger at a music festival in London and police failed to do anything. In September, ITV's The Bay star Georgia Scholes, 25, and her sister Alex, 22, were filmed by two men on a flight of stairs after a night out in Manchester. Greater Manchester Police arrested two men in their 20s and 30s on suspicion of voyeurism after the incident in September, but both have been released on bail. A Home Office spokesperson said: “We are committed to tackling violence against women and girls in all its forms. We know there is more to do to ensure these victims get the response they deserve and perpetrators are brought to justice. We have supported the development of new training on non-contact sexual offences to support officers to better tackle these crimes.” Siobhan Blake, CPS national lead for sexual offence prosecutions, said: “Up-skirting violates women’s privacy in a most degrading manner as they go about their daily lives. These are disturbing patterns of behaviour which can in some cases link to other sexual offending. "We can only prosecute cases referred to us by police and our data shows we have taken more than 200 up-skirting offences to court over the last 12 months – a figure increasing annually. I would encourage victims to report this criminal behaviour to the police safe in the knowledge we will take them seriously.” A BTP spokesperson: “As a force, we secured 20 charges and postal requisitions for up-skirting offences last year, and we’re committed to securing justice for every victim. Investigations into many offences reported in 2025 are still ongoing.It is important to note that they are often complex and protracted, involving the seizure of multiple digital devices which require the forensic examination of hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of digital materials before a file can be submitted to the CPS for a charging decision. “Our solved rate for sexual offences is nearly five times higher than the national average, but we want this higher still to ensure all offenders are put before the courts. Up-skirting is an intrusive and unacceptable crime." [Image text:] POLICE POLICE LICE