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Aunt angry at lawyer voyeur case Aunt angry at lawyer voyeur case
(about 5 hours later)
The family of a teenager photographed secretly in a cubicle of a swimming pool by a Belfast solicitor say they are angry at how the case was handled.The family of a teenager photographed secretly in a cubicle of a swimming pool by a Belfast solicitor say they are angry at how the case was handled.
Ritchie Shaw MacRitchie, 31, admitted taking the pictures but a charge of voyeurism against him thrown out. Richie Shaw MacRitchie, 31, admitted taking the pictures but a charge of voyeurism against him thrown out.
The magistrate said that as the young woman had been wearing her swimsuit, rather than been naked, or in her underwear, the charge could not stand.The magistrate said that as the young woman had been wearing her swimsuit, rather than been naked, or in her underwear, the charge could not stand.
"We as a family are at our wits end over this," her aunt said."We as a family are at our wits end over this," her aunt said.
"My niece is distraught: she's lost her place in college over this, she has changed the way she dresses, the way she looks," she told the BBC."My niece is distraught: she's lost her place in college over this, she has changed the way she dresses, the way she looks," she told the BBC.
The woman, who did not want to be identified, said the family had not even been notified that the case was coming before the magistrates.The woman, who did not want to be identified, said the family had not even been notified that the case was coming before the magistrates.
'Sorry''Sorry'
Mr MacRitchie was accused of using his phone to film the 17-year-old in a unisex changing room at the Falls Leisure Centre last October.Mr MacRitchie was accused of using his phone to film the 17-year-old in a unisex changing room at the Falls Leisure Centre last October.
He admitted taking the pictures, but denied the charge of voyeurism.He admitted taking the pictures, but denied the charge of voyeurism.
At an earlier hearing, the defendant said he was sorry and realised he should not have done it.At an earlier hearing, the defendant said he was sorry and realised he should not have done it.
In her ruling Magistrate Fiona Bagnall said she was satisfied the accused had recorded the images for sexual gratification.In her ruling Magistrate Fiona Bagnall said she was satisfied the accused had recorded the images for sexual gratification.
However, Magistrate Bagnall said she was dismissing the charge because the woman had not been filmed carrying out a private act. However, Magistrate Bagnall said she was dismissing the charge because the teenager had not been filmed carrying out a private act.
She said it was accepted the defendant filmed the lady in her bikini, but under the Sexual Offences Act that could not be considered a "private act". She said it was accepted the defendant filmed her in her bikini, but under the Sexual Offences Act that could not be considered a "private act".
She said for that to have happened, under the terms of the act, the woman would have had to have been naked or wearing only underwear.She said for that to have happened, under the terms of the act, the woman would have had to have been naked or wearing only underwear.
As a result she said she had no alternative but to accede to a defence application to dismiss the voyeurism charge.As a result she said she had no alternative but to accede to a defence application to dismiss the voyeurism charge.