McConaghie for trial charged with voyeurism at DUP office toilets

A prosecuting lawyer told Craigavon Magistrates Court the case against David McConaghie (49) is to proceed “on indictment” and asked for the case to be adjourned to March 11th for a preliminary enquiry.

Mr McConaghie, from Cottage Hill in Dollingstown, is on bail facing a single charge of voyeurism on dates between January 1st, 2012 and September 12th, 2012 in that “for the purpose of sexual gratification observed another doing a private act knowing that the other person did not consent to being observed for your sexual gratification.”

The charge arose after DUP MP David Simpson reported to police that he found a camera in the toilets of his constituency office in Portadown.

When he was initially charged last September, Mr McConaghie had been charged with installing the camera but the particulars of the indictment has since been amended.

Mr McConaghie’s solicitor said he had “concerns” about the case being adjourned for so long but in fixing the hearing for March 11th.

District Judge Bernie Kelly said she would review the case next month “to make sure that we are on target” and released Mr McConaghie on continuing bail in the meantime.

As part of his bail conditions, the accused is barred from contacting any staff member at the DUP advice office in Portadown and from owning or possessing any mobile phone or other device “capable of making video recordings.”

Mr McConaghie is also a member of the Free Presbyterian Church, a prominent spokesman for a religious foundation and had been an election agent for David Simpson, the DUP MP for Upper Bann.

He had trained to become a minister within the Free Presbyterian Church, which was started by the recently deceased Reverend Ian Paisley and had previously been a minister in the Elim Pentecostal Church.

Mr McConaghie has also been a member of the Independent Orange Order.

In a statement released at the time of the camera being uncovered, police said: “On 25 September, police received a report of an incident at premises in the Thomas Street area of Portadown.”