Landlord installed camera in bathroom of rented property, court told

Graeme McIlroy,43, of Dromore Road, appeared before Laganside Magistrates Court on Friday (April 22) for sentencing on two offences.

He was charged with installing equipment with the intention of enabling himself or another to commit an offence under the Sexual Offences order between June 21, 2016 and June 21, 2020.

He also was charged with possession of cannabis on June 21, 2020.

A PPS lawyer told the court that on Sunday, June 21, 2020, police responded to a complaint from a woman who rented a property owned by McIlroy at Dromore Road.

She explained how she had gone to have a bath when she noticed a small camera hanging from the extractor fan.

On finding the camera, she called her brother who went into the loft area and found the wire went through a hole which had been drilled through the wall into the property next door where McIlroy lived.

When police went to the defendant’s home, they found 24 grams of cannabis in a bag.

After reading a pre-sentence report, Deputy District Judge Holmes said McIlroy had given an account of installing the camera in order to frighten the lady so she would move out of the property.

“That’s despite the fact in interview with police he denied knowing about it. He’s lying,” DDJ Holmes told McIlroy’s legal representative.

The defence lawyer responded that “a guilty plea had been entered”.

The lawyer added that a “very positive” pre-sentence report had been provided.

He said McIlroy came from a very stable background, was in full-time employment and worked six days a week. The defendant had no previous convictions or anything pending, he added.

“This has been a massive wake-up call for him, facing the risk of custody. He knows it was a very serious mistake on his part,” the lawyer added.

DDJ Holmes asked if the equipment installed by McIroy had been tested.

The defence lawyer said there was no evidence it was even connected to the other side of the property.

Referring to a victim impact statement, the judge said the woman had lived in the rented property for three-and-a-half years.

“This had a terrible impact on her,” he said.

He told McIlroy he had committed a “serious and disgusting offence” and that he had violated his neighbour’s privacy.

“She is still anxious and has panic attacks and feels violated.

“My immediate reaction is you should go to prison for a considerable period,” he told McIlroy. However, the judge said he would take the defendant’s clean record and the fact he admitted the offence into consideration.

McIroy was placed on Probation for 18 months.

He was also ordered to pay £2,500 compensation to the victim and given six months to pay.

Having been convicted of a sexual offence covered by Part 2 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 he is also required to comply with the notification requirements of the Act.