Former North Wales Detective Pleads Guilty to Child Voyeurism and Evidence Tampering

A former detective constable with North Wales Police has admitted to committing sexual offences against a child, including secretly capturing images beneath the child's clothing without consent—conduct commonly referred to as "upskirting."

Lee Harshey-Jones, 45, entered guilty pleas at Chester Crown Court to one count of voyeurism and a separate charge of perverting the course of justice. The latter charge relates to his deliberate efforts to conceal evidence by performing a factory reset on his mobile phone. According to the court, this act of destruction took place on 11 June 2026 in Colwyn Bay, located in Conwy county.

The defendant also pleaded guilty to a third charge: corrupt or improper exercise of his police powers and privileges. This offence stemmed from him accessing the police computer log to look up his own incident, an action that prosecutors argued amounted to an abuse of his position.

At the time of his arrest, Harshey-Jones was serving as a detective constable and had been the lead investigator in a highly sensitive case—the murder of two-year-old Ethan Ives-Griffiths. The toddler's grandparents were jailed last year in connection with that killing. Beyond that case, the former officer had also provided evidence in several other high-profile murder trials across north Wales, giving him a significant professional profile in the region.

Following his arrest, North Wales Police suspended Harshey-Jones from duty. The force has since confirmed that he resigned from his position. The resignation means he is no longer a serving officer, but the criminal proceedings against him continue.

During the hearing, Recorder Mark Ford KC granted Harshey-Jones conditional bail. The sentencing was adjourned to allow for the preparation of a pre-sentence report. His legal representative, Ryan Donoghue, requested this report, noting that his client had no prior convictions and was previously of good character.

The recorder issued a stern warning to the defendant, stating that the decision to adjourn for a pre-sentence report should not be interpreted as any indication of the eventual sentence. "The fact that I have adjourned the case for a pre-sentence report should not be taken by you as any indication to you as to what sentence will be passed on these serious counts," Recorder Ford said.

Harshey-Jones was also told that he must sign the sex offenders register, a requirement that will apply regardless of the final sentence handed down. He is scheduled to be sentenced on 19 November.

The offence of operating equipment beneath clothing without consent is codified under the Sexual Offences Act 2003. This legislation was designed to address a gap in the law regarding intrusive and violating behaviour, and convictions carry serious penalties, including potential imprisonment and mandatory registration.

North Wales Police issued a brief statement confirming the former officer's resignation. The force added that because criminal proceedings and misconduct protocols remain active, it was unable to provide further comment at this time. This reticence is standard practice to avoid prejudicing ongoing legal processes.

The case raises troubling questions about the conduct of a police officer who was entrusted with investigating the most serious crimes, including the murder of a child. The fact that Harshey-Jones was the lead investigator in the Ethan Ives-Griffiths case—a matter that deeply affected the local community—adds another layer of gravity to his own criminal admissions.

The charges against him also highlight the increasing use of mobile phone technology in committing voyeuristic offences. The act of resetting a phone to factory settings is a common method defendants use to destroy digital evidence, but forensic investigators can often recover data even after such attempts. In this instance, the attempt itself formed the basis of a separate charge of perverting the course of justice.

The court's decision to grant conditional bail means Harshey-Jones remains free until his sentencing date, though he is subject to restrictions. The mandatory sex offenders register notification is a significant consequence, placing him under long-term monitoring requirements.

Legal observers note that cases involving police officers committing offences while in service can lead to enhanced sentences due to the breach of public trust. The corrupt exercise of police powers charge is particularly serious because it involves using official systems for personal, unlawful purposes.

The sentencing hearing on 19 November will determine the length of any custodial sentence, as well as the duration of his registration requirements and any ancillary orders. The pre-sentence report will provide the court with background information on the defendant's personal circumstances, which may influence the final decision.

For the community in north Wales, the case represents a profound betrayal. A detective who worked on cases seeking justice for victims has now admitted to victimising a child himself. The fact that he attempted to cover his tracks by wiping his phone suggests an awareness of guilt and an effort to evade accountability.

As the legal process moves forward, North Wales Police faces ongoing scrutiny over how one of its own officers could commit such offences while serving in a position of authority. The force has not yet commented on whether any internal review of his other cases will be conducted, though such reviews are common when an officer pleads guilty to serious criminal offences.