A soldier who secretly recorded his ex-partner in her bedroom heard her ‘making love’.
31-year-old Daniel Briody pleaded guilty to stalking without fear, alarm or distress when he appeared at Salisbury Magistrates’ Court today (Friday).
The defendant’s relationship with his wife ended in February this year and the pair had been living separately following what was described as an “amicable” break-up.
However, four months later, at around 8pm on 29 June, the Larkhill-based soldier attended the woman’s home and hid an audio capture device in her bedroom.
The following day he recovered the device and listened to the recording – which revealed the woman had been ‘making love’ with a man and discussing their future together.
Armed with this new information, Briody returned to her home and confronted her. When she denied being with another man, he showed her the device and told her he had recorded them.
Nick Redhead, defending, said his client “got more than be bargained for” – learning that his wife and her new man were planning on having children, despite her tell him that she didn’t want more.
He said that the defendant – a staff sergeant who is said to be “held in very high regard” – uses the device to record lectures and had not planned to use it for this purpose.
Mr Redhead added that Briody made “extremely full and frank admissions in custody”.
After hearing that he could be discharged from the army if he’s handed a community order and doesn’t have time to complete unpaid work, magistrates fined him £884. He must pay costs and a surcharge.
