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Rental owner could face charges after bridal party discovered hidden camera

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Mon, 18 Feb 2019, 10:12AM
The hidden camera was found in this light fitting in the kitchen of the rural Auckland property. Photo / Michael Kouk

Rental owner could face charges after bridal party discovered hidden camera

Author
Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date
Mon, 18 Feb 2019, 10:12AM

An accommodation provider could face criminal charges, after a bridal party discovered a camera hidden in a light bulb at their accommodation.

Auckland photographer Michael Kouk was at the rural West Auckland property capturing the bridal party getting ready for the special day when he heard a strange noise coming from the kitchen.

He described the sound as being like a "low level buzzing sound".

Kouk looked up and noticed a large black dot on the light bulb.

On closer inspection, he discovered that it was a 360-degree spy camera with a 32GB memory card - leaving everyone at the property stunned.

Privacy lawyer Kathryn Dalziel told Mike Hosking there could also be serious legal consequences for the owner.

"The point is that, if you start video and audio taping people without consent, they don't like it and unsurprisingly neither does the law."

She said the law is clear about these types of situations.

"Under the crimes act, if you film someone and even if they are down to their underwear then that will amount to an intimate video recording."

When asked whether it would still be illegal to put a camera in the lounge area of a rental home, Dalziel said yes.

"Then you head into other areas of law...things like privacy, nuisance, it could even amount to a trespass."

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