Ex-Detective Admits Voyeurism, Perjury Charges
Former North Wales Police officer pleads guilty to 'upskirting' a child and attempting to conceal evidence.
A former detective constable has admitted to taking photos beneath the clothing of a child without consent, an act known as "upskirting." Lee Harshey-Jones, 45, also pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice and the corrupt exercise of police powers.
The guilty pleas were entered on June 11, 2026, at Chester Crown Court. Harshey-Jones admitted to one charge of voyeurism and one of perverting the course of justice for applying a factory reset to his mobile phone in an effort to conceal evidence. He also pleaded guilty to improperly accessing police computer logs to look up his own incident.
Harshey-Jones was a lead investigator in the case of two-year-old Ethan Ives-Griffiths, whose grandparents were convicted of murder. He had also provided testimony in other significant murder trials in north Wales.
He was suspended by North Wales Police following his arrest and has since resigned from the force. The court granted Harshey-Jones conditional bail, pending a pre-sentence report.
Sentencing is scheduled for November 19. The recorder presiding over the hearing informed Harshey-Jones that he must sign the sex offenders register, adding that the adjournment for a pre-sentence report should not be interpreted as an indication of the eventual sentence for the serious charges.
Operating equipment beneath clothing without consent is an offense under the Sexual Offences Act 2003. North Wales Police stated they could not comment further due to ongoing criminal proceedings and misconduct protocols.