Christian John Retallack pleaded guilty to filming an ex-partner through the exhaust fan while she showered

A father has been busted for filming his ex-partner in the shower through an exhaust vent after gifting the phone he stored the material on to his seven-year-old.

A young father has pleaded guilty to engaging in indecently filming a person over 17 years in Christies Beach Magistrate Court on Tuesday.

Christian John Retallack, 45, sat with his hands crossed inside the dock, pleading with Magistrate Sarah O’Connor there was no ill intention behind filming an ex-partner in the shower without her knowledge.

A police prosecutor told the court Retallack had placed his phone in the exhaust fan above the shower as well as filmed his ex-partner underneath the door while she showered back in October of 2018.

“When police obtained the phone it had an estimated 25,000 photos on it,” the prosecutor said.

“Not all of the photos were in relation to the charge, but there were 25 odd photos of the victim and even some that had been edited that contained his partner’s face on top of another body.”

Christies Beach Magistrates Court. Picture: Kaysee Miller

The 45-year-old had then gifted the phone to his young daughter, thinking he had correctly wiped it of it’s contents, where the girl’s grandmother found the photos.

“I thought I had wiped my phone, my daughter was about seven at the time, I thought it was safe to give,” Retallack said.

“I am very ashamed.”

Magistrate O’Connor was unsatisfied that there was no ill intent from the defendant, calling his actions creepy.

“I need to make sure there is nothing lurking underneath your cognitive function and something so vile again,” she said.

“These offences are just creepy and I need to know the victims attitude towards this breach of trust.”

Magistrate O’Connor ordered a pre-sentence report as well as a psychiatric report and asked to be advised on what the factors were that led Retallack to photograph his ex partner without consent.

“This is very odd behaviour,” she said.

Retallack will face court again in September.