Alfred Keating, a former high-ranking military attache, denies the charge. Photo / Jason Oxenham
Alfred Keating, a former high-ranking military attache, denies the charge. Photo / Jason Oxenham
New Zealand's former top military attache to the United States, accused of planting a hidden camera inside the toilets of the New Zealand embassy in Washington DC, is strongly denying the allegations against him.
Commodore Alfred (Fred) Keating was one of the Royal New Zealand Navy's highest-ranking officers and in July last year was serving as the country's senior defence attache in Washington.
It is alleged Keating planted the small covert camera.
Commodore Fred Keating. Photo / Supplied
The former commanding officer of the Devonport Naval Base denies the allegations and appeared again today before Judge Russell Collins in the Auckland District Court.
The Crown told the court today a potential trial would hear computer-based evidence.
A reserved date for trial was set for 10 days next April, while Keating was remanded on bail.
Afterwards, Keating, who has a new legal team led by top lawyer Ron Mansfield, provided a statement to the Herald.
"I am very disappointed to find myself caught up in this incident at the embassy," it read.
"Sadly, the allegation I now face has already tarnished my personal and professional reputation before I have even had an opportunity to understand or challenge the case brought against me."
Keating trusted that the presumption of innocence was respected and that he would have an opportunity to review the Crown's evidence against him.
"I intend to answer the allegations in court ... however, I expect that it will become apparent at the appropriate time that there is much more to this case than that currently [is] able to be reported on.
"I look forward to the opportunity to answer the allegation in court.
"I certainly intend to clear my name and expect this will be achieved in time."
Commodore Alfred Keating was one of the navy's highest-ranking officers. Photo / Supplied
The hidden camera was set to capture and record movement court documents released by the High Court read after Keating's name suppression was revoked in May.
After a New Zealand Police investigation in Washington and a search warrant when Keating returned to New Zealand in November last year, charges were filed in the Auckland District Court on February 28.
He is charged with allegedly attempting to make an intimate visual recording of another person at the diplomatic building between July 26 and July 28 last year.
Keating appeared in court again on March 29 when he pleaded not guilty, electing trial by jury.
Then, just two days after his plea, Keating resigned from his post, the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) has confirmed.
However, questions were raised about why Keating was not retained in uniform and court-martialled at the prerogative of the Chief of Defence.
The Herald also revealed that the Government was informed by the NZDF of a police investigation at the embassy last year.
Alfred Keating, a former high-ranking military attache, makes his way to an earlier court appearance. Photo / Michael Craig
Court documents about the allegations claimed there was a "thick layer of dust on the homemade platform" indicating the device had been there for many months.
Police also said it appeared to have been purposely mounted inside a heating duct unit and at a height and direction that recorded people who arrived and used the toilet.
When forensically examined, analysis revealed someone had activated the device on July 27 and 19 images were taken of people using the bathroom during a five-hour period.
The images were only of people wearing clothing.
The court documents also alleged that when police executed a search warrant on Keating no indecent images were found but the prosecution alleged that examination of Keating's personal computer showed he installed software for the camera on July 25.
DNA analysis also allegedly showed Keating's matched that found on the camera's memory card.
The 58-year-old military leader from Northland had a more than 40 year career, and was the face of diplomacy, negotiating and strategy for the NZDF to the US.
From July 2003 until December 2006, he also served as New Zealand's naval attache and senior technical officer for the navy to the US and was also previously the Assistant Chief of Navy at NZDF headquarters in Wellington.
