voyeurism |
The name of the hotel has not been disclosed
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A man is facing the prospect of deportation after he admitted covertly recording numerous hotel guests for sexual thrills.
With Nirmal Varghese standing in the dock of Antrim Crown Court today, prosecuting counsel Mark Farrell indicated he had added an 18th count to the indictment, “effectively a composite count”.
This accuses the 37-year-old of voyeurism on dates between February 17 and July 11 last year in that he recorded other persons doing private acts without their consent, and for the purposes of obtaining sexual gratification.
After Varghese entered a guilty plea to the charge, Mr Farrell asked for the remaining voyeurism charges at counts two to 17 to be marked as “left on the books”.
Last week Varghese, currently on remand in Maghaberry and with an address at James Street in Coleraine, entered a guilty plea to count one, namely voyeurism by recording, on July 13 last year.
Previous courts heard how the offences arise from events at a hotel on the north coast. While one video was initially found, officers uncovered more than 40 videos on electronic devices seized during the investigation.
The name of the hotel has not been disclosed.
Following the arraignment in court on Thursday, Judge Philip Gilpin adjourned the plea and sentence to allow the probation board time to compile a pre-sentence report.
He asked whether deportation was automatic if he imposes a sentence of at least 12 months, but was informed that while he can recommend deportation as part of the term, it was “an issue for the Home Office”.
Remanding Varghese back into custody, the judge said he would pass sentence on November 17.
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News in 90 Seconds – September 25th