Man handed suspended sentence in cyberstalking first

The Metropolitan Police said it hopes the guilty verdict handed down to cyberstalker Andrew Meldrum will act as a deterrent and bring "some consolation" to his victims.

Read: Avoiding cyberstalking - how to stay safe online

One of the victims of cyberstalker Andew Meldrum has told ITV News of her shock at learning she was being spied on in her own home but said she supported the decision not to send the voyeur straight to jail.

"Even when I found out about it I couldn't believe that it had actually happened," said the woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons.

"It was so shocking to see how easy it was and how quickly it was for someone to be able to install it and watch me and to do it inside my own home," she continued.

"It makes you question as a person what you do and how you live your life."

Speaking after Meldrum received a 12-month suspended sentence for his webcam plot, she said justice had been done, saying: "I believe the judge came up with the right conclusion."

She added: "If this is going to rehabilitate him and make other people think before they do things and if it's going to help anyone then that's fine."

Read: Avoiding cyberstalking - how to stay safe online

Cyber stalker Andrew Meldrum has been described as a "jealous and controlling" man who pursued his plot for his own "personal sexual gratification".

Sentencing, Recorder Mark Heywood QC said: "It's clear from the evidence that many, many, many recordings were made by the computers of the three young women... concerning the most private acts in their own homes."

In one case, Meldrum conned his victim into believing he could help solve her computer problems but instead installed software which allowed him to remotely access her webcam.

He remained undetected for 15 months until the women - who cannot be named for legal reasons - discovered the programme had been installed on their computers.

Meldrum, a former Goldsmiths University student, has been ordered to forfeit his computer and pay a contribution to prosecution costs of £2,100 plus a £100 victim surcharge.

Read: Avoiding cyberstalking - how to stay safe online

A cyber stalker who bugged computers to spy on women has walked free from court with a 12-month suspended sentence and a fine.

Andrew Meldrum, 30, secretly installed spying software on his victims' computers, allowing him to access private, nude pictures taken covertly.

Meldrum admitted three counts of unauthorised access to computer material and was found guilty of two counts of voyeurism after a trial at Woolwich Crown Court.

One of his victims wept in court and held her head in her hands at the sentence.

Read: Avoiding cyberstalking - how to stay safe online

A man is due to be sentenced today in the country's first cyberstalking case.

Andrew Meldrum, 30, remotely filmed a woman using software he installed on her laptop.

Meldrum has admitted three counts of unauthorised access to computer material and was found guilty of two counts of voyeurism after a trial at Woolwich Crown Court.