Discharge for library foot fetishist

Foot fetishist Eugene Woodfield has walked away from Wellington District Court after being convicted and discharged by a judge for taking pictures of women's feet in a library.

Woodfield, 20, of Cannon's Creek, Porirua,who lost his job because of publicity about his case, had pleaded guilty to four charges of offensive behaviour. He had followed a barefoot woman across town while thinking of sexually assaulting her and had taken photos under tables of three others at Wellington Public Library.

Judge Bruce Davidson wanted to sentence Woodfield to intensive supervision to ensure he continued counselling after a disturbing psychiatric report, but the type of charges he faced meant he could only be fined.

Judge Davidson invited police to consider amending the charges but yesterday prosecutor Sergeant Michelle Payne said she did not think the charges could be altered and no other charge fitted the offence.

Woodfield's lawyer, Amanda Courtney, said he had been voluntarily attending Wellstop, which runs treatment programmes for sexual offenders, and paying for it himself.