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Raviteja Vakkalagadda films housemate and her boyfriend using hidden cameras planted inside their bedroom

A student was so incensed his housemate — who he thought he was in a relationship with — found a boyfriend he hid a secret camera in her bedroom to film the couple during their most intimate moments.

A jealous creep used a hidden camera to spy on his flatmate — who he thought was his girlfriend — as she slept with her boyfriend.

Raviteja Vakkalagadda, 23, pleaded guilty at the Broadmeadows Magistrates’ Court on February 19 to a raft of charges including stalking, using a secret filming device, capturing footage of another person’s genitalia without their consent, secretly recording conversations and unlawful imprisonment.

Prosecutor Senior Constable Justine Ross told the court Vakkalagadda, an Indian exchange student, lived with his victim and her boyfriend in shared accommodation in Pascoe Vale when he decided to start filming the couple in May last year.

His housemates only became aware of the secret devices in July after he showed his female housemate a video he’d secretly taken of the pair using a secret camera disguised at the foot of their bed.

The woman was enraged and tried to call her boyfriend, Sen-Constable Ross told the court, but Vakkalagadda took the phone from her and turned it off before standing in front of her and blocking her exit when she tried to run out of their house.

Sen-Constable Ross told the court 35 videos were later found on Vakkalagadda’s computer, including some that showed his female housemate in her underwear.

Vakkalagadda’s lawyer, George Douglas, told the court his client believed he was in a relationship with his victim that was not sexual shortly before she began her relationship with her new partner.

Vakkalagadda was enraged and jealous that his former flame had found a new squeeze, Mr Douglas told the court, which prompted him to film them.

But Mr Douglas said Vakkalagadda was now remorseful for his actions and had since moved to Craigieburn and was no longer in contact with his victims.

“As good fortune would have it, and only good fortune, there were no nude shots,” Mr Douglas said.

“I don’t know what sort of reaction he was expecting (when he showed her the video) but what did happen was very predictable, she was angry.”

Mr Douglas urged Magistrate Martin Grinberg to consider placing his client on a community corrections order with conviction in place of a jail sentence.

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Mr Grinberg deferred sentencing until April so a psychological report could be prepared for the court, but he said the crimes warranted a tough punishment.

“To be perfectly open and blunt Mr Douglas, I find this type of offending very serious,” Mr Grinberg said.

“To betray someone’s trust in the most personal and intimate way by placing a camera secreted in their room for a period of time is just appalling.

“I feel so much for the victim … sometimes victims feel they’ve been forgotten in the (court) process. Mark my words, they haven’t been forgotten in this case.”

rebecca.dinuzo@news.com.au

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Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/north/raviteja-vakkalagadda-films-housemate-and-her-boyfriend-using-hidden-cameras-planted-inside-their-bedroom/news-story/5e748fdec9a8c18270b8613bc7e874cf