Haji Myrteza charged with filming intimate image without consent

An Australian Taxation Office worker and community theatre performer who filmed female colleagues in the shower is facing jail time, with a court hearing he has a voyeurism disorder’.

Community theatre performer Haji Myrteza, 30, leaves Downing Centre Local Court after pleading guilty to recording an intimate image without consent.

An Australian Taxation Office worker and community theatre performer caught covertly filming a woman in the shower said he had been doing the despicable act for years, a court has heard.

Haji Myrteza, 30, has been sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment over his sickening behaviour at a 2023 event, with police who raided his home uncovering evidence of his “voyeuristic” fantasies.

A magistrate is now considering whether he will serve his sentence as home detention or full-time custody.

The Rockdale theatre performer pleaded guilty to one count of intentionally recording an intimate image without consent after he was caught red-handed by a woman he was filming.

“She immediately freaked out, and threw the phone out of the bathroom, (then) confronted the accused where he admitted to film(ing) her in the shower,” agreed police facts state.

“The accused further admitted to (the woman) that he had been filming her, other friends and work colleagues for approximately three to four years.”

Haji Myrteza, 30, leaves Downing Centre Local Court on July 26. Picture: Eliza Barr

The sole victim Myrteza is charged with filming was present at the same event as the woman who actually caught him filming while she was in the shower.

The woman who identified Myrteza’s behaviour did not make a complaint to police and Myrteza was not charged in respect of what he allegedly did to her.

“The accused told (the woman who caught him) that his work colleagues had been filmed while in the dressing room, at rehearsal and theatre performances,” agreed police facts state.

“(In texts with a third woman who attended the event), the accused makes admissions to filming her as well as other participants in musical theatre productions the accused has been part of.”

Haji Myrteza, 30, leaves Downing Centre Local Court on July 26, 2024. Picture: Eliza Barr

At Downing Centre Local Court on Friday, Myrteza’s solicitor Michael Djurichkovic told Magistrate Susan Horan his client had been diagnosed with a voyeuristic disorder.

“She trusted she was safe to have a shower, it’s a massive invasion of her privacy,” Mr Djurichkovic conceded.

“My submission is community safety could be best met with an intensive correction order, he has all the hallmarks of someone engaging in rehabilitation.”

A police prosecutor urged the court to impose a custodial sentence, highlighting Myrteza’s sophisticated planning, and the emotional harm caused to the victim.

Ms Horan adjourned the matter to September 20 so Myrteza’s eligibility for home detention can be assessed after she imposed an 18-month sentence.

Myrteza will return to court in September. Picture: Eliza Barr

The magistrate acknowledged Myrteza was only charged with one discrete offence despite his admissions he had been filming women intimately without their consent for years.

“It’s quite a serious example, I do see this quite often, this is someone in the shower and they don’t know they are being filmed fully naked,” Ms Horan said.

“There’s some mention of him using an app that allowed him to do it in a semi-discreet fashion.”

Myrteza has a substantial community theatre resume, most recently appearing as male lead Emmett in Strathfield Musical Society’s production of Legally Blonde in October last year.

He has also performed with Rockdale Musical Society, Packermin and Riverside Theatres in a variety of musicals including Miss Saigon, Les Miserables and Wicked.

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