Officials say a 31-year-old man who attempted to scale a 20-foot building on Tuesday to allegedly peer into a woman’s washroom while he was partially naked is facing multiple charges.
Niagara police say they were called to a residence in Welland early Tuesday after a woman reported spotting a man trying to gain entry into her bathroom window.
Authorities say they located the suspect “approximately 20 feet from ground level, using his legs to hold his body weight between two buildings that were approximately four feet apart.”
According to the department’s report, the man was naked from the waist down, and tried to evade police by climbing onto the roof and jumping off. After a short foot pursuit, he was taken into custody.
“Given the height of the jump, officers transported the suspect to a local hospital for a medical assessment,” Niagara police say.
The suspect then tried to make another attempt at escape when he broke free from an officer’s grasp and began “sprinting toward an exit.”
He was caught and restrained again.
Barry Austin Morningstar, of no fixed address, was taken into custody and charged with multiple offences, including:
- Voyeurism
- Break Enter Commit Dwelling House
- Mischief Under $5000 (2 Counts)
- Loiter / Prowl at Night on Another Person’s Property
- Nude in Public Place
- Obstruct Resist Peace Officer
- Possess Break-In Instrument
- Escape Lawful Custody
- Breach of Probation
- Fail to Comply with Release Order
He’s expected to undergo a virtual bail hearing on Tuesday.
Detectives are investigating whether this incident is related to another break-and-enter that occurred on Aug. 22.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police.
