‘HANG YOUR HEADS IN SHAME’: MEN WHO FILMED WOMAN WITHOUT HER CONSENT DURING SEX SPARED JAIL
Three men who admitted filming a woman engaging in sexual activity without her consent have been told by a judge "you should hang your heads in shame”.They were each handed 12-month sentences today, suspended for three years by Judge Patrick Lynch KC.
Nathan Howard (28), from Cairndale in Belfast, 24-year-old Jason Lewis, of Harmin Park in Newtownabbey, and Jack Thompson (23), from Boyne Row in Maghera, were sentenced for a single charge of voyeurism dating to June 2022.
Belfast Crown Court heard that the victim is now "sadly deceased" and the trio initially faced more serious sexual offences which were not pursued.
On the evening of June 4, 2022, the three men went back to Howard's flat with two females, one of whom was the victim.
Alcohol was consumed by all five and sexual activity occurred between the victim, Howard and Thompson which was recorded by Lewis on a mobile phone.
All three men were aware that the recording was taking place.
When the victim became aware that she was being recorded, which she did not consent to, she dialled 999.
Police arrived a short time later, the three men were arrested and mobile phones were seized.
During his interview, Lewis said he didn't know the victim prior to that evening and that he was asked by one of his co-accused to record the sex act, which he did.
When he was interviewed, Howard initially denied any sexual activity had taken place with the victim, but later said he had been involved in a threesome.
In his interview with police, Thompson admitted the sexual activity and when asked if he was aware it was being recorded, he said he couldn't recall.
Crown barrister Rosemary Walsh KC told Judge Lynch that during the course of offending, several short videos were recorded.
The court heard this was repeated when the "distressed" victim made the 999 call and to police who attended the scene.
The prosecutor confirmed there was no evidence that any of the "very explicit" footage had been "disseminated".
Regarding the woman, Judge Lynch said that as she is now dead, there was no victim impact statement where she could have expressed the effect the offending had on her.
Instead, the judge referred to a statement written by her father, where he described his daughter as a "bright and bubbly girl" who was "the life and soul of any gathering”.
Outlining that his daughter was loved and missed by her family, he added: "Hearing about what happened to her, I felt totally disgusted and sick to my stomach.
"I cried for days at the hurt and pain that she went through...
I find myself lying awake at night thinking of the callous nature that these men treated her with”.
The judge also stated that the offenders should hang their heads in shame and placed the men on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years.
