Jury takes less than 40 minutes to acquit CCTV men of voyeurism charges.(News)

From: Daily Post (Liverpool, England)  | Date: December 13, 2005

TWO council workers accused of using a CCTV camera to spy on a naked woman in her home have been cleared of voyeurism.
A jury at Liverpool Crown Court yesterday took less than 40 minutes to find David Welsh, 41, and Kevin Judge, 42, not guilty of voyeurism.
The court had heard that both men were working in a CCTV control room for Sefton Council, Merseyside, when a colleague trained a camera on a 25-year-old woman in her home. She was filmed cuddling her boyfriend, undressing for a bath and using the toilet.
Judge, of Waterloo, admitted glancing at the screen but said he did not look for longer than a few seconds.
Welsh, of Anfield, insisted he did not see the images at all as he was busy with other work.
Relatives of the men wept as the verdicts were read out.
Judge had earlier admitted misconduct in public office. Mark Summerton, 37, of Kirkdale, Liverpool, who trained the camera on the woman, admitted voyeurism at an earlier hearing.
The team supervisor, Vincent Broderick, 52, of Bootle, had also admitted misconduct in public office.
Judge, Summerton and Broderick will be sentenced at a date to be fixed. After the not guilty verdicts were read out, Judge Gerald Clifton said: "I have read the statement from the lady involved, it is a long and detailed impact statement.
"This has made a huge impact on her life, she is shattered by it and I want the court to know that
CAPTION(S):
Council workers David Welsh, left , and Kevin Judge were cleared of voyeurism at Liverpool Crown Court yesterday