Trent Fernandes charged with filming girl in change room at Westfield Miranda

A man allegedly filmed a teenage girl while she undressed in a change room at a Westfield in Sydney’s south, months after he allegedly touched himself while recording another girl on a train.

Trent Fernandes leaves court after he was charged with observing a person in a private act without consent to obtain sexual arousal. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

A Hurstville man has been released on bail after he allegedly filmed a teenage girl while she undressed in a change room at Westfield Miranda, a court has heard.

Trent Fernandes’ release comes a day before the 28 year old was due to defend separate allegations of touching himself while filming a different teen girl while on a train in March.

He appeared in Sutherland Local Court on Thursday after he was charged with observing a person in a private act without consent to obtain sexual arousal and using an unregistered car.

The court heard Fernandes went to Westfield Miranda on November 22 and about 5.30pm he allegedly walked into a female change room of an unnamed store where he waited for the next cubicle to be occupied.

Fernandes allegedly began filming a 17-year-old girl who was changing and she saw the phone.

Fernandes will be back in court on Friday.

The court also heard a police check of Fernandes’ phone allegedly revealed he had looked up how to spy on teenagers.

The court heard Fernandes was already on bail over the train incident in which he allegedly pointed his phone at a 16-year-old girl while he touched himself on the groin area over his pants.

In court, a police prosecutor submitted both girls felt “uncomfortable” and reported the matter to police.

In relation to the change room matter, the prosecutor noted there was a strong case against Fernandes who was allegedly captured on CCTV.

Police conducted a search warrant at Fernandes’ home which allegedly uncovered the same clothes depicted in the footage.

Fernandes’ lawyer conceded there was a strong case against this client for the change room incident.

He said Fernandes had been unemployed since March but had recently secured a job at JB Hi-Fi at Caringbah with his first shift on Thursday afternoon, which he was unable to attend because of his arrest.

The lawyer submitted Fernandes could spend more time in custody on remand then he would if convicted and sentenced for the change room incident.

Magistrate Philip Stewart noted there was a “distributing similarity” between the both allegations of sexual conduct, adding the change room incident appeared to be a strong prosecution case.

Fernandes was supported by his girlfriend who agreed to forfeit a $5000 surety.

Fernandes will be subject to home detention unless in the company of his girlfriend, he is unable to go to Westfield Miranda and report to police.

The case was adjourned to December 14 and he will appear in Sutherland Local Court on Friday to defend the train allegations, which include carrying out a sexual act with another without consent; behaving in an offensive manner in a public place and wilfully interfere with comfort or safety of others.