Primary school teacher Timothy Blamires, 33, is accused of putting a camera in the toilets of Kingswood Primary School in south Melbourne to film pupils, a court heard
A primary school teacher is alleged to have used a camera to film pupils in the boys’ toilets.
Timothy Blamires, 33, appeared via videolink at Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court in south Melbourne, and was reportedly refused bail over fears he could tamper with evidence.
He was arrested last Tuesday and has been charged with producing and possessing child abuse material after a camera was found at Kingswood Primary School, Dingley Village.
Prosecutors allege a cleaner found a hidden camera inside an odour dispenser in the toilets, which was pointed at the urinals. The cleaner put it in a bag and left it on the headteacher’s desk.
Kingswood Primary School (file)(Image: ABC News)
Blamires is said to have taken the camera and put it inside a drawer in a sick bay at the school. Following his arrest, the odour dispenser was allegedly found inside his bag at the school.
Police are understood to have taken electronic devices including laptops, phones and tablets from Blamires’ home as part of the investigation.
And it is alleged that footage on the camera showed Blamires setting up the device as well as children using the toilet.
Magistrate Timothy Gattuso said he would not release Blamires on bail because there was an “unacceptable risk” he could interfere with witnesses and destroy evidence.
The magistrate also claimed Blamires had given passwords to police that “were not accurate”.
Blamires’ brother is understood to have offered a AU$50,000 surety for the defendant to be given bail and said he would live with him to ensure he did not violate any of his conditions, but the prosecution argued that he was a risk to the public and may try to destroy evidence.
Denying bail, Mr Gattuso pointed to the allegation that Blamires tried to hide the camera after it was found by a cleaner. “You appear to have removed the device that had been located in the toilets by the cleaner, from the principal’s office, and apparently hid it,” he told the court.
A mother of one of the pupils at the school attended the court hearing and said how “difficult” it had been, reported ABC News.
“I think I was the first one to break down in the court room. It was extremely difficult but I needed to see it,” she said. “I just needed to be here… just to be able to process this whole situation.”
