Ian Birchenough, a 56-year-old resident of Grantham, Lincolnshire, was sentenced at Lincoln Magistrates' Court for attempting to secretly film a woman while she showered. The incident occurred on 26 March 2024, when the victim noticed a mobile phone positioned to record her during a private act on two separate occasions.
The victim, whose identity remains protected for anonymity reasons, provided an impact statement during the hearing. She described the profound effect the incident had on her life, stating, 'I am not the person I was before this happened.' She reported suffering from sleepless nights and a growing reluctance to venture outside, highlighting the lasting trauma caused by Birchenough's actions.
Birchenough, of Pacey Way, Grantham, pleaded guilty to a single count of attempting to observe a person doing a private act, an offence akin to voyeurism aimed at gaining sexual gratification. District Judge Daniel Church remarked during sentencing that Birchenough had demonstrated limited remorse, despite his early guilty plea. The judge emphasised, 'By pleading guilty, you accepted attempting to gain sexual gratification. This was an attempt to commit an offence of voyeurism.'
In mitigation, Dominic Sabino, representing Birchenough, noted that his client had no previous convictions and had served in two conflict zones, contributing to his country. Sabino urged the court against imposing a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, arguing that Birchenough was relocating from the Grantham area post-proceedings and posed a low risk of reoffending, as assessed in his pre-sentence probation report. He added, 'Through me, Mr Birchenough cannot express how sorry he is,' and stressed, 'The ramifications of this considerable lack of judgement have been catastrophic.' Forensic examination of Birchenough's devices revealed no illegal or explicit content.
Despite the mitigation, the court imposed a comprehensive sentence. Birchenough received a 12-month community order, including up to 15 days of rehabilitation activities and 180 hours of unpaid work. He was also made subject to a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and required to comply with sexual offender notification requirements for the same duration. Additionally, he was ordered to pay £500 in compensation to the victim, and a deprivation order was issued for his mobile phone used in the offence.
The case was reported by Lincs Online on 14 January 2026, drawing attention to the incident's impact on the victim and the judicial response in Lincolnshire. Lincolnshire Police were involved in the investigation, leading to Birchenough's arrest following the victim's report.