Paul Pennington

A man from Plymouth has narrowly avoided immediate custody after admitting to installing a spy camera in the bathroom of his rented accommodation in Newton Abbot, Devon, to record private acts for sexual gratification.

Paul Pennington, 33, of Grenville Road, Plymouth, hid the device behind a book and some packages on a shelf in the bathroom between June 2020 and July 2021. The court heard that Pennington, who was unemployed at the time, used the spy cam to secretly film the female homeowner naked while she bathed and showered on multiple occasions.

The victim, who owned the house where Pennington was lodging, expressed profound distress in her statement to the court. She described feeling 'completely betrayed, violated and demoralised' by the invasion of her privacy. She also voiced anxiety over the possibility that the footage might be released to the public, highlighting the lasting emotional impact of the offence.

At Newton Abbot Magistrates' Court on 19 March 2024, Pennington pleaded guilty to three counts of voyeurism under the Sexual Offences Act 2003, specifically for installing equipment to observe or record a private act with the intention of obtaining sexual gratification. In mitigation, Pennington told the justices that he 'bitterly regretted' his actions and expressed remorse for the harm caused.

The magistrates, considering his remorse and lack of prior convictions, opted not to impose an immediate custodial sentence. Instead, Pennington was given an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for two years. Additional measures included a five-year restraining order prohibiting contact with the victim and a ten-year sexual harm prevention order (SHPO). The SHPO restricts Pennington's use of any spy cameras, permitting only an external ring doorbell camera for legitimate security purposes.

This case was reported by the Mid Devon Advertiser based on proceedings at Newton Abbot Magistrates' Court. Devon and Cornwall Police investigated the matter after the victim discovered the hidden device, leading to Pennington's arrest and charges.