A POLICE safety camera operator says he now feels ‘anxious’ visiting Barrow after he was harassed by a man filming him on a mobile phone, a court heard.

Stuart Burns was targeted three times by defendant Matthew George Turnbull, who filmed the camera operator to post online ‘for entertainment’.

The 44-year-old defendant admitted a charge of harassment when he appeared at South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court.

Turnbull, of Mikasa Street on Walney, has been banned from approaching safety camera vans under the terms of a restraining order.

The court was told Turnbull had filmed the safety camera van operator on September 30 and twice on October 8.

Prosecutor Lee Dacre told the court: “On September 30 Mr Burns was working at the location of Park Road in Barrow.

“At 11.05am he was approached by a male recording on a mobile phone.

“He was pushing the phone in the hatch at the back of the vehicle.”

Mr Dacre said Turnbull made a comment on police camera vans being used as ‘cash cows for the Government’.

“Mr Burns told him to stop recording and then closed the hatch,” Mr Dacre.

The court heard Turnbull then blocked the safety camera laser preventing Mr Burns from working.

Another similar incident happened on October 8 at around 9am on Walney, causing police to be called.

Mr Dacre said that again Turnbull came to the van to film and blocked the line of the safety camera.

The defendant then harassed the camera operator again later that day on Park Road, asking him questions and blocking the camera’s laser.

Mr Dacre said the victim had suffered a stroke following the incident and was concerned about his blood pressure.

He said Mr Burns felt ‘anxious’ having to work in Barrow after the harassment.

Defence solicitor Karen Templeton said Turnbull did not have a ‘vendetta’ against one man and did not mean to repeatedly target the same camera operator.

She said Turnbull was part of an online community that shared videos of themselves ‘interviewing’ safety camera operators ‘for entertainment’.

“He should’ve thought through the consequences,” she said.

“District Judge John Temperley sentenced Turnbull to a 7pm to 7am curfew for the next eight weeks.

The judge imposed a restraining order banning the defendant from any contact with Mr Burns and from approaching or filming safety camera vans, or blocking speed cameras.