DARLINGTON MAN JAMIE MULVANY SPYING ON TEENAGE GIRLS IN BATHROOM WITH HOLE IN CEILING
In June 2014, a disturbing case emerged involving a man from Darlington who committed a series of invasive and criminal acts against two teenage girls.The incident came to light when it was revealed that Jamie Mulvany had secretly drilled a hole in the ceiling of a bathroom, allowing him to spy on the girls as they used the facilities.
This act of voyeurism was carried out for his own sexual gratification, and the full extent of his misconduct was uncovered only after a memory card, which stored the illicit videos, was discovered.
The victims, who had no idea they were being watched, were horrified to learn of the invasion of their privacy.
According to court proceedings at Teesside Crown Court, Mulvany, a father of six, had gained access to the loft space above the bathroom under the false pretense of boarding it out.
It was during this time that he drilled the hole in the ceiling, enabling him to record the girls without their knowledge.
His crimes spanned from June 1, 2011, to June 30 of the previous year, and he admitted to two offences of voyeurism.
The court heard how his actions were a profound breach of privacy and trust, causing significant distress to the victims.
When the case was heard, Mulvany, aged 34 and residing on Whinfield Road in Darlington, was handed a 12-week prison sentence, which was suspended for two years.
He left the courtroom covering his face, seemingly attempting to hide his shame.
The judge, George Moorhouse, emphasized the severity of the invasion, stating, "You took photos of them while they were taking a bath for your own gratification.
This was a deep invasion of their privacy, and both girls were horrified by what they later discovered had been going on." One of the victims, who was present in court, described Mulvany as “sick in the head” and expressed her frustration that he had not been jailed outright.
She remarked, “He walked out there with a smirk on his face and he thinks he has got away with it.
I was shocked because I trusted him.” Meanwhile, Mulvany’s former partner, who is currently in the process of divorcing him, voiced her concerns about the case, suggesting that the court had not been presented with all the facts.
She stated, “He is scum.
There could be more videos out there for all we know.
I could not believe what had been going on.” In mitigation, Ian West, representing Mulvany, explained that his client had entered an early guilty plea and was employed full-time.
West also challenged the recommendation in a pre-sentence report that suggested Mulvany should be subject to a sexual offences prevention order, citing that Mulvany was assessed as a medium risk of reoffending.
The barrister argued that some of the terms of the proposed order were “ludicrous,” emphasizing that Mulvany had very few previous convictions and was unlikely to re-offend.
Despite these arguments, Judge Moorhouse disagreed and imposed a five-year sexual offences prevention order on Mulvany.
Additionally, he ordered that Mulvany be registered as a sex offender for seven years.
The judge concluded by condemning Mulvany’s actions, stating, “This was a profound violation of privacy, and the girls involved were horrified by what they discovered had been going on.”
