Man jailed over shower camera

Myles Gilchrist was a senior supervisor at the Ellis Grove care facility when he committed the act of voyeurism last September.

He was also placed on the sex offenders register for seven years.

Deputy District Judge Neil Rafferty said the offence of voyeurism which Gilchrist admitted was one which “violated, humiliated, ridiculed and belittled” his victim. Mr Rafferty also branded the offence as “nasty and mean”.

Gilchrist, 47, from Magheralave Grange in Lisburn, admitted a charge of “observing a woman doing a private act” without her consent on September 12, 2014.

A representative from the Public Prosecution Service said the incident came to light when police were called to the care home regarding reports of a camera being found in a shower room used by staff.

The court heard a female member of staff had just had a shower when she noticed the camera in Gilchrist’s washbag. Police seized the camera, and when the footage was observed it showed Gilchrist positioning the camera in the shower room.

Also present on the footage was a recording of Gilchrist’s female colleague getting undressed and showering before noticing the hidden camera in the washbag.

When Gilchrist was interviewed, he initially claimed he thought the camera was turned off. He subsequently admitted the charge of voyeurism.

As he was led from the dock, the woman who was recorded by Gilchrist broke down in tears in the public gallery and was comforted by her family.