A Nanoose Bay man who can't be identified was convicted of secretly taking videos of family members in their home. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

breach of trust

Nanoose Bay man convicted after daughter finds secret bathroom camera

Mar 31, 2021 | 5:33 AM

NANAIMO — A woman knew something was wrong when she noticed a light shine from a bathroom cabinet toward her as she showered.

A man in his late 50’s who can’t be named due to a sweeping publication ban received a suspended sentence and one year probation after he pleaded guilty to a voyeurism charge.

He admitted to an elaborate scheme of drilling holes in a cabinet of his family’s main bathroom to install a motion activated video camera.

His adult daughter saw the narrow light shining toward her while showering on the evening of Jan. 6, 2019.

“She removed the camera and pulled out the SD card. She did not know what to do. She talked to her friend who advised her to attend to the RCMP detachment,” Crown prosecutor Barbara Breault said.

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Her father transferred nine videos to his computer in a single download, court heard during a Tuesday, March 30 sentencing hearing.

The videos captured during the first week of 2019 showed two victims: the offender’s partner and his 15-year-old step daughter.

Court was told most of the secretly shot videos showed the teenaged victim showering and getting changed.

The offender was seen installing the camera in one of the videos.

Court was told he drilled holes from a room beneath the bathroom to feed wires to the camera.

Judge Ronald Webb was perplexed as to why the man said he intended to capture footage of his partner when his step daughter was featured in most of the videos.

“I’m wondering at what stage does he realize that? And why doesn’t he solve that if he realizes he’s capturing his daughter,” Judge Webb said.

Court was told the man was fired from his job as a social worker after his arrest.

While calling the offender’s actions a severe breach of trust, Judge Webb said a paramount concern of his future employability shouldn’t lead to a more lenient sentence.

“I’m satisfied in all of the circumstances that a discharge in these circumstances is not in the public interest,” Judge Webb said.

Defence lawyer Chris Churchill said his client was kicked out of the house when his hidden video camera was found.

Churchill said his client immediately took responsibility to his family and police.

He underwent rigorous counselling and was welcomed back into the family home more than a year ago, Churchill said.

Several character reference letters in support of the offender were presented to the court, including from his victims.

A pre-sentence report stated the man is a low risk to re-offend and while he had a prior traumatic brain injury, a diagnosis was not stated.

He didn’t have a prior criminal record and is in the process of changing careers to better support his family, Churchill said.

A suspended sentence results in a criminal record for the man who court was told is no longer employable in the social work industry.

The offender apologized for his actions in a prepared statement read out in court, saying his actions were inappropriate, immoral and illegal.

“I am truly sorry, I am embarrassed and ashamed. What I did was wrong. It’s my hope, and I believe the hope of my family, that I’m able to continue to rebuild trust.”

He declined further comment when approached by NanaimoNewsNOW.

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ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes