Voyeurism case is ‘complicated’

The voyeurism case against a former church minister and adviser to Upper Bann MP David Simpson has been adjourned for eight weeks.

A prosecuting lawyer told Craigavon Magistrates Court the PPS had received the police file of the investigation into the alleged activities of 49-year-old David McConaghie.

McConaghie, from Cottage Hill in Dollingstown, is on bail facing a single charge of voyeurism on dates between January 1, 2012 and September 12, 2012 in that he allegedly “installed equipment, or constructed or adapted a structure or part of a structure with the intention of enabling yourself or another person to observe, for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification, a third person doing a private act, knowing that the third person did not consent to being observed for that purpose”.

The charge arose after Mr Simpson reported to police that he found a camera in the toilets of his constituency office in Portadown, allegedly placed there by McConaghie.

Initially charged last September, the PPS had asked for a two-month adjournment at that stage, granted then after it was described by the judge as a “complicated case.”

On Wednesday District Judge Paul Copeland granted a similar extension to January and released McConaghie on continuing bail in the meantime.

As part of his bail conditions McConaghie 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”.

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 and had previously been a minister in the Elim Pentecostal Church.

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

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

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