Canberra pub owner sentenced for ‘vile’ act of taking naked secret photos of his former wife
A Canberra hospitality mogul has been fined for the “vile” act of taking naked photos of his former partner without her permission, for years, while their relationship was on the rocks.
Canberra Star
Don't miss out on the headlines from Canberra Star. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Naval officer sentenced “leniently” for motor-boating woman’s breasts
- Five great things to do in and around Canberra this weekend
- Police union backs Canberra Libs’ tough anti-thug laws
- World mourns Chris the sheep, record-setter and headline-maker
A prominent Canberra pub owner has been fined for the “vile” act of taking naked photos of his former partner without her permission, for years, while their relationship was on the rocks.
The local businessman got what Magistrate James Lawton described as the “benefit” of a suppression order, to protect the privacy of his victim, but which will also mean his name will never be published in connection with his grubby crimes.
The Canberra Magistrates Court on Friday heard the hospitality mogul, a former plumber, lost custody of his kids when he was charged with taking intimate photos without permission.
The victim learned she had been secretly photographed when one of the photos inadvertently appeared on the couple’s bedroom TV screen.
Her young son, who had turned the TV on, saw the photo and said: “look, there’s mummy, she’s naked with a penis”.
The woman, in a victim impact statement read in court by prosecutor Georgia Briggs, said she felt violated and had to leave the family home.
She spoke of being wracked by self doubt and anxious that the man might share the photos.
“I felt like I can no longer trust (my former partner),” she said.
She described his offending as “vile”.
The wealthy pub owner took the photos over at least 15 months, secretly snapping his victim on his mobile phone.
The man’s lawyer, Josie Dempster, said her client’s crimes were a “serious breach of trust” but that he had a difficult upbringing and was going through a stressful time when he committed the offending.
The man wept as Ms Dempster detailed aspects of his childhood and the breakdown of his marriage.
Mr Lawton said: “Clearly this offence is a very serious one.”
He said he had to send a message to the man and to the community, that taking compromising photos of people without their permission was unacceptable.
He convicted the man and fined him $5000.