Barossa child sex predator Richard Perrey covertly filmed children happily playing, court told

The father of a child who was covertly filmed by a Barossa Valley pervert said no sentence would be enough to secure the safety of his, and other, children, a court has heard.

A father, whose children were covertly recorded by a sexual predator as they played happily in the street, lives in constant fear for their safety, a court has heard.

In a victim impact statement, the father, who cannot be identified to protect the victims, told the District Court he feels he failed to protect them and keep them safe from Barossa Valley pervert Richard William Perrey.

Perrey, 43, secretly recorded multiple children, including indecent filming up their shorts and skirts, over 18 months.

He also accessed online live streaming child-abuse material, which he recorded and stored.

Perrey has pleaded guilty to multiple child-sex charges, including aggravated producing child-abuse material as well as accessing and possessing child abuse material

On Thursday, the victims’ father said he felt “angered and betrayed” at Perrey’s “disgraceful acts”.

“I live in a constant state of fear for my children’s safety and wellbeing which is causing ongoing turmoil and distress,” he said.

“It feels as though a piece of me has been stolen from inside, like it is missing.

“I am worried for the future, that no sentence imposed by this court upon Perrey will be sufficient to secure the safety of my children and children everywhere.”

Richard Perrey covertly filmed children playing in the street. Photo: Facebook

Stamatina Halikias, prosecuting, said Australian Federal Police launched an investigation into Perrey in August 2020 after receiving a tip-off, and found a handheld video camera, mobile phone and storage devices containing child-abuse material.

She said that among the material were covert recordings of children playing in front yards and on the street.

Ms Halikias said Perrey had also used screen recording software to record more than 80 online streaming videos of children acting in a sexualised way.

“When that’s all considered together it shows how prolific the offending was and just how immersed in that type of material the defendant was,” she said.

Ms Halikias said the only appropriate penalty for the offending was a custodial sentence longer than three years.

Judge Liesl Kudelka, who presided over the hearing, said it was “unlikely” she would impose a shorter jail term and declined to view a sample of the material.

“This material is repulsive and it’s got to the stage where I am repulsed even reading the descriptions,” she said.

Leah Annese, for Perrey, said her client felt very guilty, remorseful and ashamed by his actions. She said the death of his father and a shoulder injury in 2015 caused his life to “destabilise” and led to drug use and the offending.

She urged the court to consider Perrey’s prospects for rehabilitation when imposing sentence.

Perrey will be sentenced next month.