Mayo man pleads guilty to attempting to record teen girls in changing room

A MAN pleaded guilty to attempting to record or take a picture of an underage girl in the changing rooms of a leisure centre in the first prosecution of its kind to be taken in Mayo.

The defendant who cannot be named due to reporting restrictions imposed by the judge appeared before Castlebar District Court where he pleaded guilty to Section three of the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020 which relates to recording, distributing or publishing intimate images without consent.

In a preliminary hearing before Judge Sandra Murphy, Mr Diarmuid Connolly, counsel for the prosecution explained that the incident took place at the Lough Lannagh Leisure Complex in Castlebar on October 3, 2023.

Mr Connolly added that two young girls who are now aged 19 emerged from the pool and went to their locker to change. He said the accused man entered a changing room on each side of the girl's changing rooms, who both separately noticed a mobile phone under the changing room door.

Judge Murphy was told by Mr Connolly that the defendant's phone was recovered but there was no material found on it. However, he said footage from CCTV will be shown to the court to prove the case and he argued that attempting to commit an offence is in itself an offence under the act.

Ms Cliona Boland, counsel for the defendant argued against Mr Connolly but Judge Murphy ruled in favour of the prosecution saying she was satisfied there was evidence to go before the court for the prosecution to prove beyond all reasonable doubt.

Following an adjournment, Ms Boland said her client will be pleading guilty to the offence and sentencing was adjourned to May 19 for the preparation of a probation report and a victim impact statement. Full facts in the case will also be given on this date.

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Ms Boland asked that her client would not be identified as he was the father of three young children and since the incident was reported, restrictions on access to his children have been placed on him by Tusla.

Judge Murphy agreed to a temporary stay of anonymity for the defendant until sentencing where she asked for case law to be presented for her to prevent the future publishing of his name.