Northern Ireland

Co Fermanagh businessman who installed hidden camera to record indecent images of child handed suspended sentence

Dungannon Crown Court was sitting in Belfast
Dungannon Crown Court was sitting in Belfast Dungannon Crown Court was sitting in Belfast

A CO Fermanagh businessman who installed a hidden camera to secretly record indecent images of a child has been handed a 12-month sentence suspended for three years.

Charles Campbell (54) of Mantlin Road, Kesh, previously pleaded guilty to two charges of installing equipment for voyeurism, two counts of secretly recording another person in a private act and one of attempted voyeurism.

He admitted to making and possessing an indecent image of a child and attempting to possess and attempting to make an indecent image of a child.

All offences were committed on dates between January 2018 and October 2021.

The prosecution case stated the victim, aged nine at the time, realised a phone was placed behind the bath curtain, but not recording.

Campbell was challenged, but insisted it was accidental.

At a later date, the child was using the bathroom when a small camera fell from the roof, which she assumed was recording.

Dungannon Crown Court, sitting in Belfast, heard no images were captured.

When questioned by police, Campbell denied everything and examinations of seized devices found no images. But in November 2021, Campbell admitted watching the child and was in possession of some footage.

His bail was revoked last week and he was remanded into custody after sending his victim's mother angry text messages following publication of a newspaper article.

At the sentencing hearing on Wednesday, Judge Paul Ramsey KC said: "This was premeditated voyeuristic activity".

The Probation Service recommended a period of statutory supervision and a programme of work to deal with Campbell's sexual offending, but the judge said he disagreed and "the custody threshold has been passed".

Campbell was placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years and made the subject of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order for five years.