BALLYMONEY MAN GETS PROBATION FOR VOYEURISM AND INVASION OF PRIVACY
A man identified as Richard Cooper, aged 25, residing on John Street in Ballymoney, has pleaded guilty to four counts of voyeurism.The offences involved filming people with his mobile phone while they used toilets in his workplace, a fast food outlet in Coleraine, between December 2016 and January 2017.
Cooper, described as 'protective of his phone,' secretly recorded various individuals, including a child, a teenage girl, a mother changing a baby's nappy, and a colleague.
The court heard how Cooper had also previously used his phone to record his wife in their home, which she discovered when she checked his phone in June of the previous year.
The images found included sensitive footage taken inside the toilet at his place of work, inside or on top of a bin, with recordings made without consent.
Because of his actions, Cooper faced a criminal trial at Antrim Crown Court, where the prosecution argued that his conduct represented a gross breach of trust and a serious intrusion into privacy.
During sentencing, Cooper was given a two-year probation period, with the judge stressing that any breach of this probation could lead to imprisonment.
The court acknowledged the damage caused by his breaches of trust and emphasized that all right-minded people would be horrified by his actions.
The defense also highlighted that Cooper's life had been heavily impacted by his choices, including the loss of his job, marriage, and contact with his children, as a result of his conduct.
