BA pilot ‘who filmed sex with flight attendant’ acquitted of voyeurism

A British Airways pilot who filmed a member of cabin crew during sex and sent videos to another BA pilot has been acquitted of voyeurism.

Tim Capron had met the BA crew member after matching with her on Tinder.

On their second date, the 38-year-old had asked her to wear a blindfold and spanked her bottom with a paddle, jurors heard.

Capron then took a photograph of the complainant and two videos, which he sent to another BA pilot, Steven Farnworth, who Capron described as a ‘sexual partner’ of his who he enjoyed having threesomes with.

Prosecutors alleged Capron knew the complainant did not consent to being recorded and suggested he was seeking to get her involved in a ‘virtual threesome’ with Mr Farnworth without her knowledge. 

But a jury of seven men and five women at Reading crown court, after a three-day trial, acquitted Capron of one count of voyeurism on Thursday, having spent five hours deliberating. It brings to a close a case concerning an incident from a day in September, 2021, when the complainant came to visit Capron at his home in Maidenhead, Berkshire.

Giving evidence during his trial on Tuesday, Capron – who remains a qualified pilot and said his last take off and landing was in November last year – had stated he believed the complainant would have consented to being filmed.

He pointed out they had discussed ‘whips, restraints and dominance’ in messages before they met for sex. 

Capron believed the complainant would enjoy the ‘positive affirmation’ of seeing the response from Mr Farnworth – who texted back ‘Fan dabby dozey’ to seeing the image of the complainant during sex via WhatsApp – he told jurors.

Capron said during his evidence: ‘I thought from what we had discussed together, I thought this behaviour would be ok, I thought she would be fine with this, I thought she would enjoy it. I have to live with that mistake for the rest of my life and I have done for the last four-and-a-half years.’

Jenni Dempster KC, defending, warned jurors the crown court was ‘not a court of morals’ and said the issue was solely about whether Capron actually knew the complainant was not consenting.

‘There is a world of difference between making a gross error of judgment and being a sex offender and crossing that line into criminality’, Ms Dempster said.

Capron was arrested by police on September 28 2021, which sparked an investigation which uncovered he had extreme pornography on his mobile phone. Capron was sentenced to a six-month conditional discharge by magistrates over the image.

He first appeared before Reading magistrates in August 2023 charged with voyeurism and his first trial took place at Reading crown court in July 2024. 

Capron confirmed he had graduated through ChristChurch College in Oxford with an MA in biological science. In 2016 he became a pilot at BA.

He revealed he had disclosed the proceedings against him to BA, which had initially given him a back office role and allowed him to continue training on a simulator, but then by December 12 2023 he was suspended on full pay.

Ms Dempster said Capron had ‘hid nothing’ from his employer, stating the airline had learned Capron was facing the voyeurism allegation and that he had been convicted of possessing extreme adult pornography, after police found an image on his phone that he had been sent on WhatsApp by a friend.

‘He has been upfront and kept them informed at every stage once it became clear this was going to be a serious matter’, Ms Dempster said.

Capron ‘gives them monthly updates’, the barrister added. ‘He has told them, as he has told you, everything’.

After a trial which lasted for six days, jurors were unable to reach a decision and were discharged on July 22 2024.

Capron revealed he was no longer friends with Mr Farnworth by mutual agreement as the case progressed against him.

‘Steve and I would enjoy having sex together with another female with us’, he said. ‘I told Steve about it and said what had happened. He was training for the Marines at the time, he was away a lot of the time. I said this is getting serious now. It is just awkward.’

The Crown Prosecution Service decided to seek a re-trial, which faced further delays until it finally came back to court 18 months later, on Monday this week.

Capron’s lawyer had been contacted for comment.

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