A FORMER adviser to DUP MP David Simpson allegedly secretly filmed female colleagues in the toilet of the constituency office, a court heard.
David McConaghie (50), from Cottage Hill, Dollingstown, Co Down, denies a single charge of voyeurism for the purposes of sexual gratification on dates between August 22 and September 13, 2012.
Giving evidence at Craigavon Magistrates Court yesterday, a woman who worked in Mr Simpson's Portadown office said Mr McConaghie had suggested some pot pourri for the toilet and brought in two filled pots.
She said she pushed one of the pots into a corner but kept noticing it was being moved nearer to the toilet.
At lunch time on September 12 2012, she asked her co-worker if she had been moving the pot, but the other woman said no.
She and the other woman decided to refill the pots, but when they emptied them a device fell out.
When she viewed what was on the device, she saw Mr McConaghie placing the device in the pot.
Asked about the video footage taken of her she said she felt "devastated" and it was "very embarrassing".
The public prosecutor asked her if she had been aware of the device or given her consent.
"Absolutely not," she replied.
Mr Simpson also gave evidence yesterday.
He said he told the woman the device needed to be handed over to police, which he did.
He told the court after the device was found Mr McConaghie rang him and they arranged to meet. When they met, Mr McConaghie handed over a letter of resignation.
A barrister representing Mr McConaghie asked the MP if his client had resigned because he felt he had been harshly accused.
Mr Simpson said he remembered Mr McConaghie had said something about how he "wasn't prepared to work under a cloud".
When the prosecution asked Mr Simpson if he could offer any explanation from a security point of view why someone would want to watch someone using the toilet in his office the MP replied "no".
The case was adjourned until July 27.
