Quenten Clifford pleads guilty to upskirting unknown woman at Timezone Maroochydore

Checks of this married dad’s phone confirmed worst fears.

Quenten Clifford faced Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Monday. Picture: Patrick Woods

A married Yaroomba man has escaped conviction after upskirting a woman at a Sunshine Coast gaming arcade.

Quenten Clifford’s creepy act was exposed by the victim’s husband at Timezone at the Sunshine Plaza in Maroochydore about 4pm on May 25 this year.

Police prosecutor Mel Pyke said the woman’s partner told officers he saw the 54-year-old father use his phone camera to take photos up the 33-year-old woman’s skirt.

Sergeant Pyke said Clifford was confronted by the woman’s partner who took the phone from him and called for security.

When police arrived the married man was seated in the arcade with security officers nearby where he made admissions to his actions but tried to minimise what happened.

The court was told the Yaroomba man instead advised police he only wanted to take pictures of the woman’s leg area.

Quenten Clifford leaves Maroochydore Court House. Picture: Patrick Woods.

After giving his phone’s pass code to officers, it became apparent Clifford tried to film the woman’s private parts while angling his phone under her skirt.

When he was confronted the 54-year-old conceded the visual recording was a breach of the woman’s privacy.

He voluntarily attended the Maroochydore Police Station and was charged with observations or recordings in breach of privacy. His phone was further analysed, however no other recordings were found.

He pleaded guilty in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Monday to the single charge.

Sergeant Pyke called it “abhorrent behaviour” and said women expected to have privacy in a public place.

Quenten Clifford leaves Maroochydore Court House. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Defence solicitor Bernard Bradley said a psychologist’s report commissioned by Clifford, who had no criminal history, went “someway” to explain why the crime occurred, but prefaced this by saying it does not excuse it.

Mr Bradley said the 54-year-old Yaroomba father was now receiving mental health assistance, with the opinion of the medical expert being that the risk of further offending was greatly reduced.

The solicitor said it was “entirely out of character” for Clifford, who hoped to be a financial planner, and asked for a fine with no conviction.

Magistrate Raelene Ellis said it was a serious invasion of privacy for the “poor woman” involved but accepted Clifford found professional help and was remorseful.

He was fined $2500 with no conviction recorded.