Barnsley voyeur took hundreds of illegal pictures of women in intimate moments using hidden camera

The comments were directed at 41-year-old defendant Robert Keen, as he was sentenced for two counts of voyeurism, which is a sexual offence, during a Sheffield Crown Court hearing held on October 31, 2024. 

The judge, Recorder Dafydd Enoch KC, said that he believed it was ‘clear’ from the evidence that Keen had surreptitiously planted the camera with the explicit intention of ‘gratifying’ himself ‘sexually’. 

Images from the camera were straight to Keen’s mobile phone. 

Keen’s hidden camera remained in place for a period of around six months before it was uncovered, said prosecutor, Brian Outhwaite. 

Mr Outhwaite also told the court that Keen’s camera took a total of 234 photographs during that period, several of which featured the two complainants in private moments and neither knew they were being filmed. 

Following the discovery of the hidden camera, Keen was subsequently arrested and answered ‘no comment’ to all questions posed during his police interview, Mr Outhwaite said.

Despite Keen’s refusal to speak to the police, he subsequently acknowledged his wrong doing when he entered guilty pleas to two counts of voyeurism at an earlier hearing. 

Detailing Keen’s criminal record, Mr Outhwaite said he has previous convictions and cautions for matters of ‘damage and burglary,’ but has nothing recorded against him for any other sexual offences. 

Get Sheffield’s biggest stories as they’re happening - sign up for the new breaking newsletter

Defending, Francis Edusei described Keen as a ‘hard-working man’ who had fallen on hard times after losing his job as a HGV driver, a role he held for more than a decade. 

“He’s endeavouring to find work as soon as he can, subject - of course - of the outcome of today,” Mr Edusei said. 

These offences are now of some age, suggested Mr Edusei, adding that in the intervening years, Keen, of King Edward Street, Monk Bretton, Barnsley, has managed to ‘keep himself out of trouble’. 

Mr Edusei referred Recorder Enoch to the recommendation in Keen’s pre-sentence report, suggesting Keen could be dealt with in the community. 

Sentencing Keen, Recorder Enoch said that after considering the two-year maximum sentence the offence of voyeurism carries, he believes immediate imprisonment would not be the best option. 

Recorder Enoch instead handed Keen a sentence of four months’ custody, suspended for 12 months, and ordered him to complete 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days. 

Keen was also told he must remain on the sex offenders’ register for the next seven years, and was also made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order - the purpose of which is to try and prevent him from committing any further sexual offences - for the same period of time. 

*Voyeurism is a sexual offence, and both complainants in this case are entitled to lifelong anonymity. It is a criminal offence to name them or share any information which may lead to them being identified.