A former Central Otago policeman has admitted using his police-issued iPhone to record a teenage girl having a shower.
The defendant appeared in the Alexandra District Court today and pleaded guilty to a charge of intentionally making an intimate visual recording of another person. The man was granted interim name suppression by Judge Stephen Coyle and was remanded to December 11.
Prosecutor Sergeant Ian Collin said the phone had been place on auto-record by the defendant and placed on a bathroom shelf, partly hidden. When she was drying herself after her shower, the girl noticed the phone. She replayed the video, realised what the recording was and deleted the video.
When spoken to by police about the matter, the defendant had no comment to make. He was a first offender and had since resigned from the police, Sgt Collin said. The incident happened when he was off-duty.
Counsel Nic Soper said the defendant had had several sessions with a psychologist and a report from that person would be prepared before the defendant's next court appearance. Mr Soper said the defendant was seeking a discharge without conviction and final suppression of
his name.
Judge Coyle said the public had the right to know the business of the court, particularly in relation to offending of this nature where there was a risk to vulnerable people. Although he granted name suppression in the interim, the sentencing judge would make the decision on whether final suppression of the defendant's name should be granted.
Judge Coyle had been concerned that all members of the Central Otago police would be under suspicion if the name of the defendant was not published but that was no longer the case now the man had resigned from the police.Otago rural police relieving area commander Inspector Olaf Jensen said he was extremely disappointed in the behaviour of the former constable.
"This former police staff member's individual decision to undertake this behaviour has shocked and upset his colleagues and members of the wider community.
"As an organisation our fundamental commitment is to keep our communities safe and to support victims. His actions were in direct contradiction to the core values that police stand for.
"Every minute of everyday our police staff are dedicated to keeping people safe through their initiatives to prevent crime and through their fast response to challenging emergency situations."
