Perverts could abuse video move

EXCLUSIVE: A STATE Government push to encourage people to use mobile cameras to capture criminal acts could allow perverts to film topless sunbathers.

A STATE Government push to encourage people to use mobile cameras to capture criminal acts could inadvertantly allow perverts to film topless sunbathers.

Fears have been raised that predators could use the excuse that they thought they were filming a crime if caught using phones or other devices to video nudity.

While topless sunbathing is tolerated at many Sydney beaches, it is technically a legal grey area and could be argued to constitute offensive behaviour.

Police Minister David Campbell issued the unusual call out for people to record suspicious behaviour a fortnight ago.

He said at the time: ``We want the public to help police by supplying their own footage or footage found online which may assist in convicting criminals.

``Police are establishing technology which will allow the public to provide such footage to them via the web.''

But opposition police spokesman Mike Gallacher _ a former officer himself _ said the move was potentially disastrous.

``This whole concept has not been thought through,'' he told The Daily Telegraph.

``This scheme hatched by David Campbell has the potential to encourage people to perform electronic surveillance on other people knowing that if stopped in the act they would merely say `I thought what I was recording was illegal'.''

Mr Gallacher said the Govenrmnet needed to take immediate steps to ensure perverts were not able to use the excuse to avoid arrest or prosecution.

``We seek an assurance from the Government that say in the 2004 case of the man arrested for filming topless women on Coogee Beach that he would not be able to simply use the excuse that he thought he was filming something illegal,'' he said.

The move could also contravene the Listening Devices Act if it records audio.

As revealed by The Daily Telegraph last month, a police operatino called Project View _ Video Image Evidence on the Web _ has been in development under Assistant Commissioner Bob Waites since the aftermath of the 2005 Cronulla riots and London terrorist bombings.