A man has been arrested in Bradford on suspicion of voyeurism and harassment following viral ‘Manchester nightlife’ videos.
The videos allegedly saw women filmed without their knowledge, often in vulnerable positions, across Manchester City Centre and posted onto social media, racking up millions of views.
This ‘nightlife’ video format has been copied by other ‘vloggers’ in London, Liverpool and Leeds.
An investigation by Manchester Evening News revealed that more explicit videos were being posted behind paywalls.
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Subscribers paid £13 per month to see videos of the women, who did not know they were being filmed, zooming in on their chests and bottoms.
The biography of the account under the M.E.N investigation said “Everythin I can’t show on youtube I show here.” (sic)
In a statement, Greater Manchester Police said: “This arrest is thought to be the first in the country linked with several viral videos on social media platforms appearing to have filmed women on nights out, some whilst in vulnerable positions.
“As well as the widely viewed videos posted publicly, through further investigation, we found more content locked under paywalled accounts which included footage of suspected non-consensual nudity and upskirting.
“After the issue was first brought to our attention, we made several appeals for anyone directly impacted by these videos to come forward. Many women did so, explaining the fear this had created for them, and the impact on their feeling of being safe whilst out at night.”
(Image: Greater Manchester Police)
Chief Inspector Stephen Wiggins reassured that the police are taking these videos very seriously, and said that while filming in public is legal, they won’t allow it to cross the line to offences such as upskirting, staling or harassment.
He added that every Friday and Saturday there are approximately 60 officers in Manchester city centre hotspots, as well as charities and volunteers, to make sure Manchester night life remains safe for all.
He encouraged anyone who has personally been impacted by the content within these videos to come forward, via the online reporting tool or by calling 101.
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