Voyeur, aged 63, would have needed ladder to watch woman applying fake tan through window, court is told

Details emerged at Balymena Magistrates' Court on Thursday which was told that Kevin McKeever, with an address listed as Carn-Neil Park in Waterfoot, pleaded guilty to a charge of voyeurism in relation to the incident last autumn.

A prosecutor said a woman was in a bathroom and she spotted the defendant outside the bathroom window.

The prosecutor added: "She had been applying fake tan and was approximately one metre from the window. She turns around and looks at the window and sees him on the other side of the frosted glass.

"She instantly recognised him through the frosted glass as it was dark outside and there was light inside the bathroom lighting up his features."

The woman then "grabs her towel".

The prosecutor continued that the woman said McKeever "didn't try to move or duck away and that the window was on a first floor of a house and it requires ladders to reach that height".

A defence lawyer said the defendant, who is retired on medical grounds, had no previous convictions. He said references handed in to court highlighted "charity work" carried out by the defendant.

The barrister said the court case has left the defendant's "life somewhat in tatters" and his marriage has ended. The lawyer said his client has expressed regret for the impact of his behaviour.

District Judge Nigel Broderick said he had read a very comprehensive Victim Impact Statement.

Judge Broderick said courts take a "very dim view" of the behaviour which he said was "a sexual offence of voyeurism".

He told the defendant the only thing sparing him from an immediate custodial sentence was his clear record and guilty plea.

McKeever was given a four months prison term, suspended for two years; he was put on the Sex Offenders' Register for seven years and was made the subject of a five year long Restraining Order and Sexual Offences Prevention Order.