SELECTED CASE LAW

Quebec:

2016 QCCQ 5288

In 2016 QCCQ 5288, a swim coach at CEGEP de l’Outaouais, Mr. M was convicted of voyeurism. Mr. M placed a cellphone in the women’s change room that recorded girls changing. The complainant, an 18-year-old woman, noticed the cellphone in the change room and that it had been recording for several minutes. She reported it to her swim coach who told her that he would hand over the phone to security but did not. Later, two fathers confronted the coach about the recordings. Mr. M confessed to the recording, claiming to be depressed and did not know why he did it. He claimed he only did it on one other occasion, the week prior to the incident at hand. He claimed to have watched the recordings but deleted them afterwards.

After his confession he was cooperative and sought help for depression and burnout. He also apologized to his victims.

The court sentenced him to a conditional discharge, along with 2 years’ probation. Additional orders included community service hours, a donation to a local victim’s aid organization and a prohibition from acting in a position of authority with minors.

Criminal Offence(s): Voyeurism