According to the summary of facts, Woods made internet searches in April 2020 on “how to install a hidden camera”. He also searched for cameras online. He then chipped away at a ceiling board and installed a small camera, which was used to secretly film into a woman’s bedroom.
Two months later the woman discovered the camera and told Woods about it. He said it must have been installed by the previous tenants and took the camera out but kept it.
A month earlier, in June, Woods climbed into the roof and pulled back a layer of installation that had been laid over the joist. He then pulled back layers of the pink installation, exposing holes in the ceiling and wall of the bathroom.
On eight occasions, between December 2021 and January 2022, Woods accessed the ceiling space and filmed the woman in the shower, taking just under 40 minutes worth of footage in total and sometimes screenshotting images.
Woods also replaced the blue shower curtain with a clear glass panel.
In March 2022 police searched Woods’ property and seized his electronic devices.
They found an open laptop with a folder of child exploitation material. Police seized the laptop, along with two others, a smartphone, a tablet, a hard drive, two cameras and two USB sticks.
In total, more than 40,000 files were classified as objectionable publications with child exploitation material ranging from categories A, B and C.
Further searches also revealed a 57-minute video involving bestiality.
The court heard the woman felt incredibly stressed and betrayed by Woods’ offending.
Woods’ lawyer James Rapley KC said reports showed his client’s “rigid and intense religious upbringing” had a link with his offending.
The court heard Woods was emersed in the Jehovah’s Witness religious group when he was 8 but was shunned from the group at 16. Woods joined the group again a few years later and married.
Rapley said Woods was exposed to “distorted thinking” around sexual experiences and while the offending was “abhorrent”, he asked the judge to consider Wood’s strict upbringing when sentencing him.
He added Woods hadn’t appeared before the courts previously and he engaged well in the pre-sentence process, showing remorse and insight into his offending.
Judge Gerard Lynch said reports provided to the court stated Woods’ “oppressive” upbringing taught him that “all things sexual were evil and the work of the devil”. The report stated there was a link to Woods’ upbringing and the offending.
Woods had expressed relief at finally being able to talk about his upbringing and the secrecy of sexual activity that was enforced.
Judge Lynch said not everyone who had experienced an oppressive faith went on to offend in this way but for some, it “arguably makes them more susceptible” to offend in this “disturbing way”.
Woods had made good progress in applying himself through counselling sessions and had shown the motivation and capacity to address his offending.
Judge Lynch said the aggravating features of Woods’ offending were the breach of trust, the victim’s vulnerability, premeditation, effects on the victim and the exploitation of very young children, which he described as “vile”.
He gave Woods discounts for his remorse and commitment to rehabilitation, his personal circumstances, the trauma associated with his childhood and his previous good character.
Judge Lynch sentenced Woods to three years imprisonment.
Emily Moorhouse is a Christchurch-based Open Justice journalist at NZME. She joined NZME in 2022. Before that, she was at the Christchurch Star.
