neighbour watching my daughters bedroom window

Bossyboots

While I wouldn't wish this on anyone, it is good to hear you are supporting your daughter on this. I had similar problems at the same age and my parents totally ignored my assertions that the lad next door was a problem. He left me frightened to leave the house alone after I caught him following me one night and this went on for ages until finally someone else witnessed it that my parents would listen to. I don't know exactly what happened after that. I do know that my dad went round to speak to his and after that the problem did stop.

I would suggest that the next time your daughter spots him, that she comes and tells you so that you can go outside and see how he reacts. You may have to do this a few times before he gets the message that you are on to him and it will either get rid of the problem or give you sufficient basis on which to have a chat to the local police.

poe.tuesday

I know the neighbour is a creep and all that but is he actually doing anything illigal or something that the police will act upon?

I don't think he is doing anything illigal so I think it is up to you to make sure that he can't see what he apparently wants to see, putting up the nets etc is the best thing and maybe a if you really want to stop him you should ask him outright what he is looking at

yoni_one

Janepig wrote: »

I'm fairly certain that filming him without his knowledge is against the law. I remember reading a story about someone who had a CCTV camera outside his house trained on his motorbike to prevent it being stolen but he had to take it down. Same as if you go to buildings where there's CCTV there are always signs telling you it's there.

Jxx

I am not sure on the legalities of this but if the above is correct then put a camera on your property with a sign letting people know it is there and if it stops him creeping your daughter out fine, if it catches him at it fine.

Your daughter should not have to live feeling uncomfortable doing her homework in her bedroom.

Janepig

yoni_one wrote: »

I am not sure on the legalities of this but if the above is correct then put a camera on your property with a sign letting people know it is there and if it stops him creeping your daughter out fine, if it catches him at it fine.

Your daughter should not have to live feeling uncomfortable doing her homework in her bedroom.

Again, I'm not 100% sure of the legalities, but the camera would need to be trained on the OP's garden - I'm certain they wouldn't be allowed to film the neighbours garden, regardless of whether he was aware of them doing it or not. The "sign" that I mentioned is to let people know that you are being filmed while you are on their property (iykwim), it doesn't give you carte blanche to film people on their property.

Jxx

Frith

You have to have a sign up with a camera to say you are filming... Do your local police force have a non 999 number for advice? I have phoned that before and they offer a lot of help over the phone which must be easier for them than sending an officer over.

Liz

vaio

ACEY wrote: »

You have to have a sign up with a camera to say you are filming...

Is this true?

Does anyone know what laws covers this?

Does the law vary depending on whose property you are filming?

I thought that as long as you were on your own property or public property you could take photographs of or film anything you could see.

gigglebunny

My auntie has a problem with her next door neighbor is spitting on her door, she has seen him do it and wanted to put cameras up, but she spoke to a PCSO and she said that unless she has a sign stating that she has CCTV it's a breach of privacy and Data Protection Act, so as far as I know, you could get in trouble for putting a camera up.

I think the best thing to do is speak to a local officer about it all.

Good Luck!

pboae

poe.tuesday wrote: »

I know the neighbour is a creep and all that but is he actually doing anything illigal or something that the police will act upon?

I don't think he is doing anything illigal so I think it is up to you to make sure that he can't see what he apparently wants to see, putting up the nets etc is the best thing and maybe a if you really want to stop him you should ask him outright what he is looking at

It depends why he's doing it. If he's doing it for sexual kicks, then it is illegal, and is is taken very seriously. (Sexual Offences Act 2003, non-consensual voyeurism). As always, any potential offence of a sexual nature is considered to be far more serious if it involves a minor.

He may be doing this completely innocently, he may not. Most men are very aware of the current (and often unfair) social climate, and would go out of their way to ensure their behaviour could not be misconstrued. You may glance up at a window once or twice, but to repeatedly look in on a teenage girl's window, however innocently, is at best foolhardy, and at worst a child sex offence.

Obviously you would want the girl to take some normal precautions (not parading around naked with the curtains open and the lights on). That's just common sense. But she shouldn't have to keep her curtains shut 24/7 or put net curtains up just to avoid being the watched.

If it were me, I'd speak to the police about it and let them decide whether he was behaving inappropriately or not. It's very creepy behaviour.

tonyE1

As an alternative to net curtains you could cover the windows with that reflective film like they use on cars, esp big 4x4s. That way you can still see out, but cannot see in.

amandada

poe.tuesday wrote: »

I know the neighbour is a creep and all that but is he actually doing anything illigal or something that the police will act upon?

I don't think he is doing anything illigal so I think it is up to you to make sure that he can't see what he apparently wants to see, putting up the nets etc is the best thing and maybe a if you really want to stop him you should ask him outright what he is looking at

I'm not sure how English law deals with this but in Scotland, it would almost certainly be a breach of the peace. You don't have to be shouting and bawling to commit a breach