DANIEL TIERNAN SENTENCED FOR SURVEILLANCE CRIME IN MERSEYSIDE
A 26-year-old man named Daniel Tiernan from Merseyside has been formally sentenced following his involvement in a distressing and invasive act that invaded the privacy of a woman while she was asleep.The incident has left the victim feeling deeply betrayed and traumatised, prompting a significant legal response in the form of imprisonment.
The case came to light after the woman, who was unaware of any wrongdoing, discovered something alarming on her own mobile phone quite unexpectedly.
While examining her device, she found a 25-second video that had been filmed without her consent.
This footage captured her as she slept peacefully in her own bed, completely unaware that her privacy had been compromised.
According to prosecution statements presented during the hearing, the video showed the woman lying on her bed with her back facing the camera.
The duvet covering her was pulled up, exposing her naked body in a vulnerable state.
The discovery of this explicit recording shocked her deeply, and she promptly reported the matter to the police, clarifying that she had no knowledge of the filming and did not consent to it.
During her impact statement, the woman described her feelings upon learning of the intrusion.
She expressed being ‘mortified and betrayed’ and confided that she ‘felt messed up in her head’ as a result of the experience.
She revealed that she is currently on medication for depression and anxiety, underscoring her mental health struggles.
She also voiced concern that the footage might have been shared online, adding to her trauma and fears.
The accused, Daniel Tiernan, who resides on North Road in Tranmere, ultimately pleaded guilty to the charge of sexual assault.
His plea came on the first day of what could have been a trial.
The court heard evidence supporting the seriousness of his actions and the impact on the victim.
In sentencing, Judge David Aubrey, QC, sentenced Tiernan to 16 months in prison.
The judge acknowledged that there was no evidence indicating Tiernan had distributed the video, but noted that the possibility remained, which heightened the seriousness of the offence.
The judge emphasized that the victim’s fears—whether she had found out or not—about the potential dissemination of the footage demonstrated the gravity of the crime.
Judge Aubrey highlighted that the victim was not only asleep but also in her own bed, a particularly vulnerable state, which made her victimization all the more serious.
He described the act as a “betrayal of trust” and an “extreme betrayal,” asserting that Tiernan had grossly violated her privacy and person.
The judge underlined that her feelings of being betrayed and mortified were entirely justified, given the invasion of her personal space.
Initially, Tiernan denied the allegations, but he later accepted responsibility and pleaded guilty on the first day of proceedings.
In addition to his prison sentence, the court ordered him to sign the Sex Offenders Register for a period of ten years, accompanied by a restraining order that will also last for ten years, restricting his contact with the victim.
Defense attorney David Birrell described Tiernan as someone who was facing numerous personal struggles at the time.
He revealed that Tiernan was employed, though his employer was unaware of the court case.
Birrell also pointed out that Tiernan had been battling a dependency on controlled drugs, which he admitted to abusing nearly daily at one point.
Fortunately, he has since taken steps to address this issue, including voluntarily sectioning himself at Clatterbridge Hospital and seeking assistance from Wirral Ways to Recovery, through which he was able to overcome his drug addiction.
Furthermore, Mr.
Birrell noted that Tiernan is a troubled young man suffering from mental health and emotional issues.
He mentioned that Tiernan had attempted suicide the previous year, which sheds some light on his troubled mental state at the time of the offence.
