A Belfast man accused of filming his naked ex-partner as she slept and sending footage to his father must remain in custody, a High Court judge ruled today.
The 32-year-old defendant also allegedly threatened to kill the woman during a row over the contents of his phone.
Refusing his application for bail, Mr Justice McAlinden said: “I don’t have a big red hat and a white beard, it’s not Christmas time yet.”
The accused is not being named to protect his former partner’s identity.
He denies charges of voyeurism, disclosing private sexual photographs and making a threat to kill the woman.
Prosecutors said she went to bed in the early hours of September 14 after they spent the night drinking together at his home in north Belfast.
On checking the defendant’s phone the following morning she discovered naked photos and videos of her allegedly taken while she was asleep.
In one recording he appeared to be groping and touching her, while in another clip the camera had been tilted to show an exposed intimate part of her body.
She told police that at no stage was any consent given for the images to be taken.
Checks of the defendant’s phone also allegedly showed he attempted a video call with his father and sent one of the recordings to him.
Crown counsel said: “The father replied later that morning, saying ‘nice’.”
A separate WhatsApp conversation between the defendant and one of his friends raised further suspicions that they had discussed naked photos of the woman.
Despite wiping the pictures and recordings from her ex-partner’s phone, the court heard she took screenshots before erasing the contents.
It was alleged that he issued threats during an argument over his device being restored to factory settings.
Counsel claimed he warned her: “If you go to the police my daddy will get me out of it, money goes a long way. Or better still, I will kill you.”
The defendant also faces separate counts of common assault, criminal damage and breach of a non-molestation order in connection with a subsequent incident on November 1.
He allegedly grabbed her by the hair, smashed her phone and threw it over a nearby fence after they had met in a bar and gone back to his home.
A defence barrister confirmed his client denies sending images to either his friend or father, insisting that any photos or videos were taken consensually.
The accused was denied bail, however, based on the need to ensure public safety.
Mr Justice McAlinden said: “I have a good enough understanding of his (alleged) proclivities… there are no conditions that can reasonably be imposed which would deal with the risk of re-offending.”