Principe Antonio, 56: Frenchs Forest man jailed for ‘upskirting’ with dashcam on his shoe

A father of four who went on a perving spree using a dashcam tied to his shoe to film up the skirts of girls and young mums in Sydney shopping malls has learnt his fate in court.

Principe Antonio, 56, of Frenchs Forest, outside Manly Local Court last year. Picture: Manly Daily

A northern beaches’ dad who went on a three-month perving spree using a dashcam on his shoe to illegally film the private parts of 15 girls and women in shopping malls has been jailed for 14 months.

Principe Antonio, 56, described in Manly Local Court as an ‘upskirter’, shot video footage up a 12-year-old’s tennis skirt while she browsed for books in a Kmart.

Antonio even pointed his small $20 cube-shaped camera, which he had attached to a shoelace, up the denim skirt of a young mum pushing a pram,

The father of four from Frenchs Forest was only caught after his youngest victim spotted the dashcam on his right foot while he filmed her at the Kmart in Warriewood Square on July 22 last year.

Manly court was told on Wednesday that the incident was “very disturbing” for the girl.

Principe Antonio, 56, of Frenchs Forest, outside Manly Local Court on Tuesday, August 27, 2024, where he faced 17 charges of filming a person's private parts without consent.

His other 13 victims, which included female shoppers at Warringah Mall at Brookvale as well as locations at Chatswood, were not able to be identified, according to documents tendered to court.

Antonio pleaded guilty to multiple counts of film person’s private parts without their consent.

Principe Antonio, outside Manly Local Court in May. Picture: Manly Daily.

The court heard he did not do it for sexual gratification, but out of curiosity.

He also pleaded guilty to one count of possessing child abuse material after a number of internet pornographic videos, which he did not produce, were found on digital storage devices under his bed.

Antonio also pleaded guilty to possessing two switchblade knives and a baton.

His perverted filming spree began in May last year.

“He began filming up skirts about a month after the camera was delivered, sometimes at Warringah Mall or Chatswood,” the facts sheet stated.

“(Antonio) filmed women of various ages and did not have a specific target.”

The court learned that while he was waiting for his wife to finish shopping at Coles, Antonio followed the 12-year-old into Kmart’s book section.

He told police that her pleated mini tennis skirt was the “trigger” for attaching the dashcam to his right shoe lace and then turning it on.

Principe Antonio will spend a minimum of six months behind bars. Picture: Manly Daily

Antonio stood about 30cms from the girl then “inched his foot along the floor, with his toes facing the victim,” the facts document stated.

“(His) foot ended up nearly in between the victim’s feet, under her skirt.”

The girl saw the camera and confronted Antonio.

“Excuse me,” she said. “What do you think you are doing?

“Give me the camera or I’m calling the police.”

Antonio handed her the camera and replied “I’m sorry” and started walking towards the store exit, but was stopped by a female adult shopper who called for a security guard.

When Antonio was arrested by police, they uncovered a SD (secure digital) card and a USB stick “containing multiple upskirt videos of unknown individuals”.

The videos, which ran from between one to four minutes, on the USB were in an album titled “BEAUTS”.

Antonio’s face was captured on some of the dashcam footage, which included a sequence where he followed and filmed a woman pushing a pram, the facts stated.

His Legal Aid solicitor said that he was sorry and that he could not explain his actions.

“Certainly there is no evidence that he’s part of some online network,” his solicitor said.

Magistrate Daniel Reiss said the upskirting was “obviously very planned and executed” and that Antonio had “perverted thoughts and actions”.

“(It occurred) in a shopping centre where people should be safe,” he said.

“With children of your own, you would think that this would be conduct not to be involved in.”

Mr Reiss convicted Antonio and handed him an aggregate jail sentence of 14 months, with a non-parole period of six months. He will be eligible for parole on December 10.