A disgraced aide to a DUP MP faces up to six months in jail after he was convicted of voyeurism.
Standing in the dock of Craigavon Magistrates Court with his hands clasped in front of him, 50-year-old David McConaghie showed little or no reaction as District Judge Mervyn Bates said he had no doubt he "secreted" the sophisticated spy camera in a pot pourri in the toilets of David Simpson's constituency office for his own sexual gratification.
He said that in addition to drawing inferences from McConaghie's silence throughout the investigation, Judge Bates told the court three was "more than sufficient evidence to satisfy me that you are guilty."
The judge told McConaghie his crime was aggravated by numerous factors including that the act represented a breach of the trust placed in him by others who worked in Mr Simpson's Upper Bann constituency office, the length of time it was carried out and that it was a "deliberate attempt to observe someone that you knew well carrying out a private act."
Judge Bates being satisfied "beyond reasonable doubt," he convicted McConaghie, from Cottage Hill, Dollingstown, of the single charge of voyeurism on dates between August 22 and September 13, 2012 in that for the purposes of sexual gratification, he recorded another person doing a private act knowing that the other person did not consent.
Releasing McConaghie on continuing bail, the judge adjourned passing sentence for five weeks and ordered probation pre-sentence reports.
He told McConaghie, a one-time prominent Orangeman and church minister, that depending on what sentence he passes, he may have to sign the police sex offenders register "for at least five years."
Recounting how McConaghie refused to answer police questions at interview, lodge a defence statement or give evidence on his own behalf, the judge said he had chosen "not to elucidate if there was any other reason" for secreting the camera in the toilet other than for his own sexual kicks.
Giving evidence last June when the trial began, a woman who worked in the office said she had a discussion with another female worker about the unease she felt about the toilet facilities at work.
She said McConaghie had suggested some pot pourri for the toilet and one Monday morning he arrived with some in a square pot which was placed in the toilet.
Later another pot arrived and was also put in the toilet. Both had holes in their sides.
The second pot was placed six inches from the corner directly facing the toilet. The other one was behind the door but when the door was closed the pot also faced the toilet.
The witness explained that when she used the toilet she would push the pot back into the corner because she thought this looked a bit tidier. She added, however, that she kept noticing the pot being moved out again.
At lunch time on September 12, 2012, she asked her co-worker if she had been moving the pot but she said no.
She had been deliberately moving the pot into the corner and someone was deliberately moving it back out again.
The witness added that they agreed to bring some pot pourri back to the office, empty the pots and replace what was in them.
When they were emptying the pots a device fell out. When she pushed a button a red light was illuminated and both of them were quite shocked.
When she viewed the device the only thing she saw was the device being placed by David McConaghie in the pot.
Asked about the video footage taken of her she said she felt "devastated" and it was "very embarrassing" and she was very disappointed because she thought so much of McConaghie.
The court heard that of three CDs seized by police had 216,373 images and 15 video files.
Following the conviction, Upper Ban MP David Simpson said "wholeheartedly welcomed" the conviction.
"This has been an extremely difficult time for my staff, but particularly for the victims," he said in a statement.
"I wish to thank the PSNI and the PPS for their sensitive handling of this matter. Also my party colleagues for their support and the court staff for their kindness.
"Most importantly, I thank my staff and pay tribute to their bravery in giving evidence and withstanding a harsh, invasive cross-examination."
