A Stockport man who followed women around shops and sprayed semen at them has been jailed.

William Kidd, 27, of Stanbank Street, was sentenced to four years in jail and is subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

It comes after he pleaded guilty to 11 counts of sexual assault on a female, two counts of voyeurism, eight counts of recording an image under clothing to observe another without consent, and possession of cannabis.

These counts relate to five incidents which took place between May and September 2025.

Kidd would visit stores across Cheshire and Greater Manchester, and would follow women discreetly around the aisles.

CCTV footage showed Kidd spraying the victims with a substance from a bottle he was carrying as he stalked them, on four separate occasions. He would aim it at the women's hair or backs, and the victims were often unaware of what had happened.

Forensic analysis later confirmed the substance was Kidd's semen.

On a fifth occasion, Kidd followed a woman through a store and secretly filmed her on his mobile phone while she shopped with her five‑year‑old daughter.

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Kidd was arrested in October 2025, after he was identified following a Cheshire Police CCTV appeal.

He was found to be in possession of a quantity of cannabis at the time of his arrest.

A subsequent review of his mobile phone uncovered further footage, including a video of Kidd following a woman pushing a small child in a shopping trolley while he filmed up her skirt. The woman appears to be completely unaware of his presence.

Kidd was charged and later pleaded guilty to the offences put to him.

Following the sentencing, Detective Constable Tiffany Berry-Perkin from Cheshire Police said: "Firstly, I would like to commend the victims in this case for the strength and bravery they have shown throughout this investigation.

"It is thanks to their continued support that our team was able to gather an overwhelming body of evidence against Kidd, leaving him with no option but to plead guilty.

"Kidd deliberately targeted innocent women as they went about their everyday lives, entirely unaware of the depraved acts he was committing against them.

"His behaviour is completely unacceptable, and I welcome the fact that he is now being held accountable behind bars, where he can no longer pose a danger to women in our communities."

Detective Sergeant Steven Kaminski added: "This case is an excellent example of neighbouring forces working together to identify and apprehend offenders who target women and girls.

"Kidd was fully aware that what he was doing was wrong. He knew his actions would cause his victims extreme distress, yet he chose to continue, deliberately travelling to multiple stores across two counties with the intention of violating and ultimately sexually assaulting innocent women.

"Putting an end to violence against women and girls remains a top priority for the force, and we will continue to remove sexual predators like Kidd from Cheshire and ensure they see justice.

"We treat all allegations of sexual offences extremely seriously, and any allegation will be thoroughly investigated, with the wishes and needs of the victim as our main priority.

"Victims should never feel ashamed of what has been done to them. Anyone who comes forward will be met with compassion, respect, and specialist support from our officers, alongside partner support agencies. All victims of sexual offences are entitled to anonymity, and we are committed to ensuring they receive the help and protection they deserve."