Doubts over kid sport photos
Parents can no longer feel comfortable taking photos of their children at junior sport because "abuse" by predators has become so "rife", a WA judge has warned.
District Court Judge Jeremy Curthoys said he was surprised people were still allowed to photograph children's sport and "no one in their right mind these days" would do it.
"Abuse is so rife, it's just an unwise thing to do," he said.
Judge Curthoys made the remarks in sentencing a Scarborough father of two for taking "upskirt" photos of a teenage netball umpire at one of his daughter's games in May.
The judge said it was appalling that parents had to be banned from taking photos at sport.
"What's happened to society," he said.
WA Primary Principals Association president Stephen Breen said it would be a "very sad indictment" on society if parents were banned from filming or photographing their children's sport.
Some WA clubs and associations prevent photographing young players without their parents' consent.
The father, who was not named in case it identified the victim, was fined $7500 last week after pleading guilty to indecently recording the 15-year-old umpire.
The court was told he was filming the game and discreetly took indecent close-up photos as the girl was bending over. Judge Curthoys said the offence was opportunistic, inappropriate and a gross violation of privacy.
Defence lawyer Simon Watters successfully asked for the man, 42, to be given a spent conviction because it involved a small number of images, there was a low risk of reoffending and the offence was out of character.
Prosecutor Tatiyajith Karunaratne said the offences were serious because the man was at the game as a parent. It was up to a parent with a camera not to abuse the enormous trust other parents and children placed in them.
Department of Sport and Recreation guidelines warn photographs can put children at risk, particularly if the images are published online or otherwise.
Permission should be obtained to use cameras at an event and concerns about inappropriate photography reported to an official.
