Sheffield Crown Court: Pervert who videoed a naked teenage girl has walked free from court

Keith Mavenganise, aged 23, of Wath-upon-Dearne, had set-up a camera providing a live feed to his mobile phone capturing footage of a young, teenage girl removing a towel with her naked body exposed from the front and back, according to a Sheffield Crown Court hearing.

Prosecuting barrister Louise Reevell told the hearing on March 15 Mavenganise’s wrong-doing had been exposed after someone else discovered the camera and the footage which was dated from May, 2019.

The judge – Recorder Anthony Hawks – told Mavenganise: “Until you pleaded guilty on the day of trial to taking an indecent image of a child you had never been in trouble with the police before.

"But you have now because you have committed a serious sexual offence. I don’t know what you were thinking. You obviously had some sinister sexual motive.”

Ms Reevell said the footage included Mavenganise setting-up the camera with a live feed to the defendant’s phone and further footage showed the teenage victim fully naked after she had removed a towel.

Mavenganise admitted to police he had set-up the recording equipment but claimed he had never viewed the footage.

But the defendant, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to taking an indecent image of a child, who cannot be identified for legal reasons.

Jennifer Coldham, defending, said: “He had brought a bag with him and some contact numbers and he was preparing for a custodial sentence.”

Recorder Hawks said he did not accept Mavenganise’s assertion that he had not intended to view the footage.

He added: “It seems to me you had a very unhealthy, sexual interest in young girls.”

Recorder Hawks sentenced Mavenganise to 12 months of custody suspended for two years with a sex offenders programme and a rehabilitation requirement.

Mavenganise was made subject to the Sex Offenders Register for ten years and to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a restraining order for the same period.

Recorder Hawks warned Mavenganise: “You have come very close to ruining your life, but you have got a chance.”

He added if Mavenganise commits a further offence or fails to comply with his suspended sentence in the next two years he will face imprisonment.