A man with a history of indecent acts was caught filming a woman changing in a Salvation Army store. Paul Edwards, with a prior conviction dating back to 2006, engaged in further offending while living in Australia from 2019 to 2021. However, it was at a Salvation Army store in Hamilton where he relapsed into old behaviors, pulling out his cellphone to film the victim as she changed clothes.
Appearing in the Hamilton District Court, the 38-year-old faced charges of indecent acts with intent to insult, injuring with intent, and resisting arrest in a separate incident. Edwards had accepted a sentence indication of 14 months in jail, with the possibility of home detention.
During the incident at the Salvation Army’s Hamilton East store, Edwards crouched outside the changing room door, filming the victim with his cellphone. When she noticed the phone, she confronted him, and he hastily apologized before leaving. Edwards, found with meth, a meth pipe, and cannabis, expressed remorse to the police, stating he felt like he was “relapsing.”
Judge Philip Crayton highlighted Edwards’ criminal history, emphasizing his tendency to exploit opportunities to offend. In 2019, Edwards was imprisoned in Australia for similar offenses, and he faced subsequent jail time in 2020 and 2021 for similar indecent acts. Additionally, he assaulted his partner in 2021 after a dispute over social media activity, resulting in a physical altercation.
Edwards’ lawyer, Raewyn Sporle, attributed his actions to his meth addiction but noted that he had been clean for the past few months. She emphasized his desire to move forward and be a better person for the sake of his children.
Despite acknowledging Edwards’ progress, Judge Crayton warned him about the severe consequences of his actions. He issued a final warning, stating that any further offenses would result in imprisonment. Edwards was sentenced to seven months of home detention, subject to judicial monitoring.
