Man secretly filmed Madonna baby christening

A man hid behind the organ in a cathedral to secretly film the christening service for Madonna's baby son Rocco, a court has heard.

Security adviser Robert Podesta, 51, took up his position 24 hours before Madonna and her fiance Guy Ritchie gathered with friends at Dornoch Cathedral in Sutherland.

After furtively videoing the service for 24 minutes, he was caught leaving the cathedral, Dornoch sheriff court was told.

Podesta, of Orcop, Garway, Herefordshire, admitted conducting himself in a disorderly manner likely to cause concern by filming the private ceremony on December 21.

He denied a further charge of trespassing in Dornoch Cathedral between December 19 and December 21, which was accepted by the Crown. Podesta was not in court for the hearing and his solicitor, Craig Wood entered the pleas on his behalf.

Sheriff Ian Cameron ordered the destruction of the video and called for Podesta to appear in person on March 29 to give a full picture of his financial circumstances before sentencing.

His co-accused James Bufton, 33, of Ty Gwynt, Llanarth, Usk, Monmouthshire, who had faced three charges in connection with the christening, had his not guilty pleas accepted by the Crown.

Bufton, who was also not present in court, had been charged with trespassing in the cathedral, breaching the peace by videoing the service and attempting to defeat the end of justice by giving a false name to police.

Alasdair MacDonald, for the Crown, told the court Madonna and Mr Ritchie obtained special permission from the Church of Scotland for the christening of baby Rocco to be held in private because they were concerned by the level of media interest and worried about security.