News / Supervision for indecent picture requests
A NORTHERN Irish man has been placed on the sex offenders register and faces three years supervision after he asked to take indecent images of two young women in Shetland, one aged just 15.
Last month 45 year old Stephen Penney, pled guilty to two charges of breaching the peace on 21 June this year.
He admitted approaching a woman as she entered Frank Williamson’s hardware shop on Lerwick’s Commercial Road and flashing an image of a naked 12 year old girl at her, asking if “she would be interested in this”.
Ten minutes later on the same street he asked the 15 year old to pose for an indecent picture in return for £10.
Both victims were shocked, immediately walked away and contacted the police.
The court heard that Penney left Shetland the following day and did not realise he was being charged until a letter arrived at his home at 8b Donaldson’s Avenue, Carrick Fergus, County Antrim.
Sentence was deferred for reports until Thursday, when defence agent Tommy Allan said: “Because he left Shetland the next day he wasn’t spoken to about this by the police.
“The complaint arrived through the door a few months later and threw his family life into complete turmoil.”
He said that Penney, who was a first offender and previously good character, had no explanation for his actions other than being under stress.
He has since been signed off work, though he is not receiving medication or psychiatric treatment.
Allan said the impact on him had been “pretty catastrophic”, but his family were sticking by him and he was extremely sorry for what he had done.
Sheriff Lorna Drummond said his actions would have caused distress to his victims, but she accepted his actions had been “out of character”.
She said she would follow recommendations from social workers that he undertake a three year programme to try and get to the bottom of his offending.
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