KRISTIAN STEPHAN CAUGHT FILMING YOUNG GIRLS IN ALDRIDGE AND SOLIHULL

In September 2018, a disturbing incident involving Kristian Stephan, a 38-year-old man from Aldridge, came to light when he was caught engaging in inappropriate and illegal behavior in public spaces. Stephan, who has a known foot fetish, was found filming young girls as they went about their daily routines, raising serious concerns about his motives and the safety of children in the community.

His troubling actions first drew attention in April of that year at an Aldi store located in Shirley. Staff members initially suspected Stephan of attempting to steal items, but their suspicions grew when a PCSO was asked to monitor him. Surveillance footage revealed Stephan covertly filming a girl approximately 12 years old from the waist down, focusing on her legs and feet. This behavior was reported to the police, but Stephan was not detained at that moment, allowing him to leave the scene.

However, his activities did not stop there. Less than a month later, on May 5, at around 3:30 pm, a security guard at the Boots store in Solihull’s Mell Square observed Stephan behaving suspiciously near two young girls, aged about eight and eleven. The guard saw Stephan bending down close to the children and filming them from the waist down with his phone. Shocked and outraged by the sight, the security personnel approached Stephan, who initially claimed he was doing nothing wrong and that he intended to delete the videos he had taken.

Despite his denial, the guard challenged Stephan, and he was detained and subsequently arrested by police officers called to the scene. During police interviews, Stephan admitted to both filming incidents, revealing that his actions were driven by his sexual fetish for feet and that he found it difficult to control these urges. His motives were explicitly linked to his own sexual gratification, and he acknowledged that his behavior was inappropriate and illegal.

Further investigations into Stephan’s property uncovered a small quantity of cannabis stored in a plastic box. He also pleaded guilty to possession of the drug, adding to the charges against him. Stephan explained that he chose not to have legal representation because he did not want anyone to suggest he had done nothing wrong. However, he challenged parts of a pre-sentence report, claiming that although the report indicated he posed a threat to society, he believed he was not a danger to anyone and had promised to cease such behavior.

In court, magistrates considered his case carefully. Recognizing the seriousness of his offenses, they imposed a three-year community order—the maximum permissible non-custodial sentence. As part of his sentence, Stephan was required to complete a 60-day rehabilitation program, a 60-day course targeting sexual offending, and perform 100 hours of unpaid community service. Additionally, he was ordered to pay court costs amounting to £185. This case highlights the ongoing concerns about safeguarding children and the importance of vigilant law enforcement in addressing such disturbing behaviors in the community.