Toilet filmer's future in NZ doubtful

A Chinese man's future in New Zealand is in jeopardy after he secretly filmed people using a customers' toilet at Rotorua's Starbucks cafe.<
Feiyu Zhou, 25, who was working in Rotorua as a restaurant supervisor, yesterday appeared in the Rotorua District Court and was sentenced to 200 hours' community work and nine months' supervision after previously pleading guilty to five charges of making intimate visual recordings.<
The court was told yesterday Zhou has had his work permit revoked and his future in New Zealand may be "problematic".<
Police say between June 1 and 15 this year Zhou hid a handycam digital video camera inside the unisex toilet at Starbucks in Rotorua which is used by customers.<
Zhou set the camera to record after hiding all of the camera except the lens from view.<
He left the toilet but stayed in the shop or in the vicinity of the shop for about 20 minutes while the camera filmed customers using the toilet.<
He admitted he had filmed people using the toilet on five occasions between midday and 4pm.<
About 12.43pm on July 16 one of the people using the toilet discovered the camera and reported it to staff.<
When spoken to by police, Zhou admitted what he had done. He told police he had an addiction to watching women go to the toilet and bought the camera so he could make his own recordings to satisfy his urges.<
Judge Phillip Cooper described Zhou's behaviour as serious offending and a gross breach of privacy.<
The maximum penalty for the offending was three years' jail and Judge Cooper said often people went to prison in cases like this but he said this was not one of those cases.<
Zhou was seeking help, had co-operated fully with police, pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity, and was highly regarded by his employer.<
He was attending church and was addressing the issues which had led to his offending.<
Judge Cooper also noted police did not want Zhou to be sent to prison, but wanted him to deal with the underlying issues which led to his offending.<
Judge Cooper ordered a letter of apology written by Zhou and addressed to the general public be made available for publication.<
He said Zhou's work permit had been revoked and staying in New Zealand could be "problematic".<
Zhou's lawyer Harry Edward told the court Zhou had sought help from a psychologist and was supported by his partner, who was in court yesterday.<
Zhou's employer described him as wonderful employee, who was honest and willing to help people, Mr Edward said.<
"It's just that he has a serious problem. He has taken steps to address that." Sending him to prison would be a "too harmful blow", Mr Edward said.<
Following the sentencing a Department of Labour spokesman said while he could not speak specifically about this case he said generally when a person's work permit had been revoked he or she had 21 days to leave New Zealand. "If they fail to leave New Zealand before the 21 days removal action can be taken by Immigration New Zealand." However, the spokesman told The Daily Post a person could appeal his or her work permit being revoked. Outside court Zhou's partner was visibly upset and did not want to speak to The Daily Post and Zhou said what he had to say was in his letter but said he had not decided whether to stay in Rotorua.<