Man to be charged over camera hidden in toilet during flight from Japan to S’pore

SINGAPORE – A 52-year-old man is set to be charged on Nov 5 after he allegedly hid a camera in the toilet of a plane during a flight from Japan to Singapore.

In a statement on Nov 4, the police said the man, a British national, will be charged with voyeurism and obstructing the course of justice on board an aircraft.

Officers from the Airport Police Division were alerted at about 5.35pm on Oct 7, the police added.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the man allegedly hid a camera in one of the plane’s toilets during the flight.

After leaving the toilet, he activated the device’s recording function remotely through an app on his mobile phone.

Later, while using the toilet, a cabin crew member discovered the concealed camera and proceeded to remove it and alert her colleague.

When the man later tried to retrieve the device, he realised that it had already been removed.

He then allegedly deleted the app and all related photographs on his phone in an attempt to avoid detection, police said.

He was detained for investigations after the flight landed at Changi Airport, and his phone and camera were seized.

If convicted of voyeurism, the man could face up to two years’ jail, a fine, caning, or any combination of those punishments.

For obstructing the course of justice on board an aircraft, he could face a jail term of up to seven years, a fine, or both.

In their Nov 4 statement, the police urged the public to remain vigilant against voyeurism by being aware of their surroundings.

Members of the public should make a police report immediately if they witness an incident of voyeurism or are aware of someone being a victim of voyeurism, they said, adding that this is crucial in assisting the police in identifying and arresting the perpetrators.