News / Irishman admits indecent image charges
A NORTHERN Irish man has admitted asking two young women in Shetland, one aged only 15, if he could take indecent images of them.
On Thursday Lerwick Sheriff Court heard that 45 year old Stephen Penney had flashed an image of a naked 12 year old girl in front of the first woman.
The second victim, aged 15, was asked to pose for Penney in return for £10.
Both incidents took place on Lerwick’s Commercial Road on 21 June while Penney was working in Shetland.
Procurator fiscal Duncan Mackenzie said the first woman was approaching Frank Williamson’s hardware store when Penney came up behind her shouting for her attention.
Assuming he was looking for directions, she turned to face him at which he held up his mobile phone and showed her the image of the top half of a young girl with no clothes on, asking her if “she would be interested in this”.
Shortly afterwards he went up to the second woman, saying he would give £10 to anyone who gave him five minutes of their time, indicating he was looking for an indecent image of her.
Both victims immediately walked away from Penney and independently of each other contacted the police.
However when the police tried to track him down they found he had left the islands on the ferry to return to his home at 8b Donaldson’s Avenue, Carrick Fergus, County Antrim.
“Obviously these complainers were extremely distressed by this. They were both alone and one of them was still a child at the time,” the fiscal said.
Defence agent Tommy Allan said Penney, who is married, was suffering from stress related to his work and his marriage.
He was currently signed off work and his mental health was being assessed.
He said that his client had pled guilty to the charge at the earliest opportunity and travelled from Northern Ireland to attend court.
He also wished to apologise for the distress and upset he had caused.
Sheriff Philip Mann said hat there was a significant sexual aspect to the charge and deferred sentence until 28 November for social work reports.
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