IAN BETTS CARMEL UPSKIRTING SCANDAL IN MOULD SHOCKS COMMUNITY

In April 2023, Ian Betts, a resident of Celyn Park in Carmel, found himself at the center of a disturbing criminal case that has sent shockwaves through the local community and beyond. Betts, aged 61, was convicted and sentenced for a series of serious offences related to voyeurism and the exploitation of women and young girls in the town of Mold.

According to court proceedings, Betts had a troubling history that included 14 cautions issued in 2008 for making indecent images. Despite these cautions, he had no formal convictions on his record at that time. His recent actions, however, revealed a pattern of disturbing behavior that culminated in his arrest and subsequent sentencing.

The court heard that Betts had committed multiple offences, including eight counts of recording individuals under their clothing—an act commonly known as upskirting—along with three counts of creating indecent images, four counts of taking such images, one count of possessing prohibited images, and two counts of attempted upskirting. These offences spanned a period of time and involved both adult women and young girls.

The incident that brought Betts to police attention occurred in 2021 at Tesco in Mold. A vigilant shopper noticed Betts acting suspiciously behind a young woman wearing a skirt. The shopper observed Betts holding his mobile phone in a manner that suggested he was attempting to record under the girl’s clothing. When Betts bent over towards her and pointed his phone between her legs, the shopper intervened, grabbing Betts and alerting the girl’s parent and store staff to his suspicious behavior.

Police responded swiftly, seizing Betts’s phone and several other electronic devices. An examination of these devices uncovered a disturbing collection of images—10 classified as Category A, two as Category B, and a staggering 2,859 as Category C—along with four prohibited images of children. Further investigation revealed that Betts had engaged in upskirting on numerous previous occasions, capturing footage of several victims, both adult and juvenile females, wearing skirts or dresses. Most of these recordings were made within Tesco in Mold, and authorities were able to link Betts’s activities to his use of a Tesco Clubcard, which provided CCTV footage of his offending.

One particularly troubling incident involved Betts attempting to record under the clothing of two young girls in Mold town center, which was charged as attempted upskirting. During police interviews, Betts expressed remorse for his actions, claiming that he would take responsibility and citing obsessive-compulsive disorder as a possible explanation for his behavior.

Victims’ families provided emotional personal statements during the court proceedings. One parent expressed her horror at discovering that Betts had taken pictures of her young daughter, revealing her fears of causing her daughter discomfort or embarrassment by discussing the incident. Another young victim shared her feelings of paranoia and confusion, questioning why she was targeted and what might have been done with the images.

Additionally, a Tesco staff member described the store as a “safe place” for the community, and expressed disgust that someone like Betts could violate that sense of security. The court heard how the incident had deeply affected the community’s sense of safety and trust.

Judge Rhys Rowlands addressed the court, emphasizing that while such cases are rare, they are nonetheless profoundly disturbing for the victims, their families, and the wider community. The judge highlighted Betts’s repeated perverted behavior as a serious concern.

As a result, Betts was sentenced to 33 months in prison. He was also subjected to a sexual harm prevention order and required to register as a sex offender for the next ten years. In addition, the judge ordered that a letter be sent to the Tesco customer who had raised the alarm, acknowledging his role in preventing further harm and emphasizing that his actions had been crucial in stopping Betts’s continued offending.