Sentencing judge says Waikato man Ricky Davies has a ‘distorted attitude’ to sex

Ricky Davies, 60, was sentenced in the Hamilton District Court to six months' community detention for making intimate visual recordings of a woman. Photo / Belinda Feek

A woman who was covertly filmed during intimate sexual acts by a man she met on Tinder hopes other women will be protected from him now that he’s been convicted.

Ricky Davies, also known as Rick, filmed the woman several times without her knowledge or consent over a period of time. But it wasn’t until two years later that she discovered what he’d done.

She then reported him to police, and he was eventually charged.

Now he’s been sentenced in the Hamilton District Court on a representative charge of making an intimate visual recording.

Judge Philip Crayton stepped back from a sentence of home detention last week and instead allowed the slightly less restrictive sentence of community detention so Davies could keep running his business, which employs three other people.

Through her spokeswoman, Shania, the victim said she hoped that by speaking out, it would protect any women he might meet in the future.

“She just couldn’t live with the fact that someone could be roaming around doing this to other people, and she had to put herself through this awful situation.

“It was a no-brainer.”

The victim met Davies on Tinder, and now hoped that as a 60-year-old man, he’d be able to “take all of this on board and make some changes”.

Asked how she felt now the sentencing was finally over, Shania said the victim would start “enjoying her life”.

“She feels a lot of it has been stolen.

“It’s really hard to describe. She doesn’t have any words for the way she’s been feeling.

“I think it’s just been such a long time coming.”

‘A breach in the most egregious way’

There were four separate instances where Davies had made videos of intimate sexual acts by, at least on one occasion, putting his phone in his chest shirt pocket.

The videos were discovered about two years later.

“What is clear and is unchallenged is that this offending is serious and it involves significant aggravating features,” the judge said.

“It was a breach in the most egregious way of the privacy of the victim.

Ricky Davies' actions were lambasted by Judge Philip Crayton in the Hamilton District Court on Friday.

“It goes without saying that sexual intimacy ... is private.”

However, the judge said the offending went beyond that.

“An individual is entitled to the privacy of that person. This was a breach of trust of the highest order.

“Being sexually intimate with another person involves the trust being placed in that other person, that they respect the privacy. And making an intimate recording is the most egregious breach of that trust.”

Judge Crayton said there was a degree of planning and forethought by Davies.

“In order to obtain and make this intimate visual recording, you had to be able to carry it out surreptitiously.”

Defence counsel Mike Curran had been left unimpressed by the lack of co-operation from a “clinical professional” whom he’d sought help from for his client.

“[Davies] asked for help and she didn’t give it,” the lawyer said.

Curran said his client’s issues because of his upbringing were such that “would have taken anyone to come to terms with”.

“I don’t want to compare him with the victim, but his decision-making process was completely wrong.”

‘He has a distorted attitude to sex’

The judge accepted his upbringing didn’t provide an excuse for his behaviour, but “somewhat” explained Davies’ “distorted attitude” to sexual activity.

Ricky Davies, known as Rick, filmed the victim multiple times.

At least now, Davies could pursue rehabilitation to ensure this behaviour didn’t happen again, he said.

“This was not a momentary lapse. It was repeated offending.

“It reflects, clearly, a significantly distorted approach to an intimate relationship from your perspective.”

Unsurprisingly, “significant harm” had been inflicted on the victim, the judge said.

Curran pushed for a starting point of six months’ jail, while the prosecution opted for between 13 and 15 months.

Judge Crayton took 15 months and allowed a 25% discount for Davies’ guilty plea.

As for a sentence, home detention would suitably confine and punish him, but it would take away his opportunity to work.

Davies is the sole owner-operator of Louvre Logging.

“You are a self-employed owner operator and employ three others.”

The judge felt a sentence of community detention would still punish the defendant but also allowed him to receive further rehabilitation “to ensure there are no further victims”.

“I do not in any way say that this is not serious offending, but what I do identify is that for various reasons the sentencing can come back to [community detention].

He also had letters of support, which “identified you as a different person behind closed doors”.

Davies had taken along $3000 in reparation, but Judge Crayton ordered him to pay $4000.

“That’s not intended and would never reflect the harm you have done. It’s a token, and it’s a matter for the victim whether she accepts it.”

Judge Crayton also sentenced Davies to the maximum community detention sentence of six months with a curfew between 7pm and 2.30am, along with 16 months’ intensive supervision.

The judge also ordered Davies not to have any contact with the victim and ordered him to attend various programmes, including non-violence, Safe, and parenting.

“I do hope that you take on board the seriousness of your circumstances and that it’s your last time before the court.”

Belinda Feek is an Open Justice reporter based in Waikato. She has worked at NZME for 10 years and has been a journalist for 21.