MICHAEL CAMPBELL FROM BANGOR FACES CHARGES OVER LEISURE CENTRE VOYEURISM INCIDENTS

In August 2016, a serious case of voyeurism involving a resident of Bangor, Michael Campbell, came to light following an incident at a local leisure centre. Campbell, aged 26 at the time, was accused of recording women in changing rooms without their consent, raising significant concerns about privacy and safety in public facilities.

During proceedings at Newtownards Magistrates Court, District Judge Mark Hamill addressed the potential consequences Campbell might face, including the possibility of being barred from accessing mixed changing rooms in the future. The judge also mentioned the potential for issuing a sexual offences prevention order and placing Campbell on the police sex offenders register, emphasizing the importance of protecting the public from further harm.

Campbell had previously been convicted on two counts of voyeurism related to two women, and an additional charge of attempted voyeurism involving two young boys who were in the changing room with their mother at the Aurora Centre. The charges detailed that Campbell had recorded these individuals during private moments for the purpose of sexual gratification, fully aware that the victims did not consent to being recorded in such a manner.

During a contested hearing held last month, evidence was presented that Campbell had been inside a cubicle at the leisure centre, which was a multi-million-pound facility in his hometown of Bangor. It was revealed that he attempted to record a woman in an adjacent cubicle by slipping his mobile phone underneath the partition. He also tried to record another woman in a different cubicle but failed, admitting that he did not press the record button correctly.

In his own defence, Campbell denied being a paedophile. He claimed that his attempt to record the second woman was motivated by her telling her young sons, aged 11 and four, to go out and meet their father. Campbell stated, “That’s when I thought ‘Ok,’ I attempted to take a video over the cubicle, thinking the children were away. But I didn’t do it, because I didn’t press the button right.”

It was noted that the woman’s eldest son saw Campbell’s hand holding the phone over the cubicle, which led to her alerting staff. When police arrested Campbell, they seized his phones but were unable to retrieve any incriminating information. Campbell also claimed he had been on holiday and that he had accidentally damaged the mobile phone he used during the incident by taking it into water, which rendered it unusable. The prosecution confirmed that no offending material was found on Campbell’s laptop or two other mobile phones seized during the investigation.

During the plea hearing, Campbell’s defence lawyer, Conan Wray, acknowledged that his client faced significant issues that required support and intervention. The court decided to release Campbell on continuing bail, with a scheduled return for sentencing the following day, as Judge Hamill emphasized the importance of ensuring that Campbell does not reoffend and that measures are put in place to safeguard the community.