PICTURE : MARK JAMIESON
A MAN accused of voyeurism and making indecent photos of children has been ordered to have no contact with staff at multi-national restaurant KFC as part of his bail conditions.
Richard Cooper (25), faces a total of nine charges – five of voyeurism and four of making an indecent photograph of a child.
The offences are alleged to have taken place on dates including June 2016 and also January last year.
The particulars of the alleged voyeurism are that ‘for the purpose of sexual gratification’, the defendant ‘recorded another person doing a private act’.
A Preliminary Enquiry – the legal step to send a case to the Crown Court – was held at Coleraine Magistrates Court on Thursday and the defendant was committed for arraignment to Antrim Crown Court in May.
In court on Thursday Cooper spoke only to confirm his name and that he understood the charges.
Deputy District Judge Philip Mateer accepted a prosecution submission that Cooper had a case to answer.
The defendant was released on continuing bail of £500 with conditions that include him not attempting ‘to see, speak to or in any other way contact any member of staff from KFC’.
The defendant is also not allowed to be in possession of any mobile device and is barred from entering Coleraine apart from attending court.
He was also ordered to live at an address approved by police.
After one of Cooper’s previous court appearances in connection with the allegations the defendant faces, a KFC spokesman said last year: “We are assisting the police with an ongoing investigation, so cannot comment any further at this stage”.
