After reviewing CCTV footage, Jérémy, a twenty-something regular, was suspected of committing acts of voyeurism in the changing rooms of a swimming pool in Paradise. The investigating team discreetly monitored him and caught him red-handed on May 16, 2022, passing his smartphone under a cabin wall where a lifeguard was stationed. Jérémy claimed it was his first time, but further investigation of his device revealed photos taken on thirteen different dates in the changing rooms of the swimming pool. It was also discovered that Jérémy had engaged in “voyeurism by recording” once morest his best friend while she was showering in her bathroom or sleeping naked. Furthermore, Jérémy kept images of his own mother and her new partner in a jacuzzi.
At his criminal court trial, Jérémy, who resides in Hainaut, did not appear to be leading off. His loneliness and relationship troubles were highlighted by his lawyer in a plea for a probationary suspension of the verdict. However, the court imposed a one-year prison sentence with a total probationary suspension. The conditions for obtaining this reprieve include a five-year ban on frequenting public swimming pools, continued psychological follow-up, actively seeking employment, and undergoing treatment in a specialized center for perpetrators of sexual offences.
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 conclusion, the case of Jérémy serves as a reminder that inappropriate and invasive behavior cannot go unnoticed. Thanks to the vigilance of the swimming pool staff and the swift action of the investigators, justice has been served. However, the consequences of his actions will follow Jérémy for years to come. Hopefully, through the imposed conditions, he will be able to learn from his mistakes and reform himself. It is crucial that we continue to work towards creating a safe and respectful environment for everyone, especially in public places where privacy should be respected.
