A provincial court judge will decide if a North Vancouver man who filmed young gymnasts warming up for a competition last year, zooming in on parts of their bodies, is guilty of voyeurism.
Andrew Greenwood, 53, was charged with the unusual offence after he was spotted filming girls at a rhythmic gymnastics meet held at Capilano University on March 24 last year.
At a trial in North Vancouver provincial court, Crown counsel Lori Ashton said Greenwood sat in an isolated area of the bleachers and filmed girls ranging in age from nine to 24. Ashton said several people who were able to see the video camera's screen noticed he was zooming in on the gymnasts' crotches, breasts and buttocks as they went through their warmup exercises.
Tanja Zurkovic, a mother of a young gymnast who was volunteering at the competition, said Greenwood was first pointed out by a group of mothers and coaches who noticed he was filming the girls. Zurkovic said she walked up and positioned herself behind him so she could see what he was filming. "I saw zoom images of the private areas of the girls in bodysuits," she said. Zurkovic said one girl she recognized in the video was in Grade 7 at the time.
"When you signed your daughter up for gymnastics did you consent for someone taking pictures of her genitals?" asked Ashton.
"When you hand your daughter to the coaches for the competition you don't think there will be an adult man taking inappropriate pictures and invading the privacy of the little girls?" In cross-examination, defence lawyer Mike Sanders asked Zurkovic, "You're aware the event was advertised? You're aware this international competition was open to the public?" Sanders asked Zurkovic whether there were any regulations prohibiting members of the public from taking pictures. Zurkovic said there were not.
Sanders also asked if when a gymnast is performing, the audience would be focused on the body of that gymnast. "I would not be comfortable saying that," said Zurkovic.
Jessica Krushan, a 24 year-old gymnastics coach, also testified about seeing zoomed images of parts of girls' bodies on Greenwood's camera display when she was sitting behind him.
Krushan said the camera appeared to be zoomed in on the gymnasts' breasts and crotches.
"I went and told somebody right away," she said. "Just seeing those images - it wasn't right. They're little girls and it's their private areas.
"The fact they're sexualized without their knowledge. .. it's not right."
Video seized from Greenwood's camera by police was played in court, as was a videotaped statement from Greenwood taken at the North Vancouver RC MP detachment.
In part of the videotaped statement, Cpl. Doug Trousdell, who questioned Greenwood following his arrest, showed Greenwood some of the video footage and asked how old he thought the girls were.
"They're too young, I admit that," said Greenwood on the tape.
Greenwood also talked about having arguments with his wife, mentioning that she "deleted everything" on his computer.
"She's always accusing me of stuff and half the time I'm guilty of it," he told Trousdell.
The trial continues Aug. 26 with final legal arguments.
