In March 2022, a woman who had just finished an aquagym lesson at Braine-l’Alleud swimming pool noticed that her neighbor in the changing room was sneaking her phone under the partition, presumably to take photos or videos of her. She informed someone, but unfortunately, the person responsible arrived too late as the suspect quickly fled.
Upon reviewing CCTV footage, the staff suspected Jérémy, a regular in his twenties, of being responsible for the suspicious behavior. They kept a discreet eye on him and on May 16, 2022, they caught him red-handed when he passed his smartphone under the wall of a cabin where a lifeguard was present.
Initially, Jérémy denied any involvement, but investigators discovered photos on his device from thirteen different dates in the changing rooms at the swimming pool of Paradise. They also found evidence of “voyeurism by recording” once morest his female friend while showering or sleeping naked. The situation became even more disturbing when they discovered that he had stored intimate images of his own mother with her new partner in a jacuzzi.
At his trial, Jérémy’s lawyer argued that he was extremely lonely, which led him to engage in these behaviors. However, the court convicted him and sentenced him to one year in prison, with a probationary suspension for five years. As a part of his sentence, he is prohibited from frequenting public swimming pools and must continue with psychological follow-up, actively seek employment, and undergo treatment for sexual offenses.
In March 2022, a lady who was changing following an aquagym lesson at the Braine-l’Alleud swimming pool saw that her neighbor in the cabin was sneaking her mobile phone under the partition wall, probably to film her or take her in. photo. She went out to sound the alarm but by the time she found someone responsible and he intervened, the suspect had managed to take to their heels.
By viewing the CCTV images, the teams suspected Jérémy, a regular in his twenties, of having committed these acts. They therefore discreetly kept an eye on him and on May 16, 2022, when he passed his smartphone under the wall of a cabin where a lifeguard was, he was caught red-handed.
He then claimed that it was the first time. But by exploiting his device, the investigators discovered photos taken on thirteen different dates in the changing rooms of the swimming pool of Paradise. They also noticed that the young man had engaged in other acts of “voyeurism by recording”, once morest his best friend while she was showering in her bathroom or sleeping naked. Even more challenging, he also kept images of his own mother in his smartphone, in a moment of intimacy with his new companion in a jacuzzi.
We can imagine, a month ago on the bench of the defendants of the criminal court, the young man who is domiciled in Hainaut was not leading off. When he had just been heard by the police, he had not dared to confess the facts to his mother, preferring to leave a copy of his hearing on a table so that she learned what had happened…
“It’s more human than legal: my client is terribly alone, he doesn’t meet anyone, it all comes down to great relationship misery”had pleaded his lawyer, hoping for a probationary suspension of the verdict.
The court does not go that far. The decision rendered Thursday imposes on the defendant a one-year prison sentence accompanied by a total probationary suspension. Among the conditions for obtaining this five-year reprieve is the ban on frequenting public swimming pools.
The young man will also have to continue the psychological follow-up he has started, actively seek employment, and undergo treatment in a specialized center for perpetrators of sexual offences.
In the end, justice has been served for the innocent victims of Jérémy’s voyeuristic behavior. The court’s decision sends a clear message that such violations of privacy and trust will not be tolerated. Although the defendant has been granted a probationary suspension of his sentence, he will have to live with the consequences of his actions for the rest of his life. It is important for all of us to remember that everyone deserves respect and privacy, and that such acts have serious consequences. We must continue to work towards creating a safe and equitable society for all.
