(ADAM PROSKIW / iNFOnews.ca)

Over a period of three or four years, 34-year-old Kelowna resident Jeremy Aaron Dudus took more than 50 videos of people in washrooms around the city without them knowing.

He also spied on his neighbours, recording video of them in their bedrooms and he recorded his colleagues using the bathroom at work.

When police caught up with him in March 2022, they discovered more than 80 videos that Dudus had surreptitiously taken of people, including children. More than 50 of the victims were never identified.

Today, April 16, Dudus, appeared in a Kelowna courtroom by video from custody where he's already serving time having been convicted of voyeurism in May 2024 and sentenced to 12 months in jail.

The court heard how police had been tipped off following a complaint from a child in a public washroom near Invermere.

The police search found almost 30 videos Dudus had taken of nearby neighbours in their bedrooms. Two colleagues had been filmed in the work washrooms and more than 50 videos were uncovered had he'd filmed in public washrooms throughout the city.

No details were given about how Dudus filmed his victims, or where he had worked, and while the victims didn't know they were being filmed, the aftermath of finding out was real.

"Each of them speaks about the feelings of violation and exploitation in learning that someone had recorded them in spaces where they fully expected to be safe and private," BC Provincial Judge Cathaline Heinrichs told the court. "(One victim) had suffered for a long time the paranoia that someone was watching her, particularly at times when she was changing or using the bathroom. She was unable to continue exercising and gained weight. It impacted her psychologically and created of sense of self-loathing and shame. She distrusts people, individually and in groups, worried that someone is going to harm her."

Another victim had lost trust in people and perceived everyone from a guarded place "not knowing what they may be capable of."

Victims spoke of feelings of being unsafe, ashamed and anxious.

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"The impact of Mr. Dudas' actions have caused the victims to feel shame about themselves and question their own self-worth, not because of anything they did, but as an impact of being spied on and recorded in vulnerable situations," the judge said.

Little was heard about the 34-year-old's life, only that he was a red-sealed journeyman and had grown up in a stable but strict home in Alberta.

He'd been sexually abused as a child and drank and used marijuana daily, and also had a history of using methamphetamines.

The court heard he'd had three relationships in his life but one partner had left him because he refused to stop watching child pornography.

He acknowledged having a form of sex addiction, was remorseful for his actions and was willing to undergo counselling.

"Mr. Dudas knew what he was doing was morally wrong, but he did not stop himself," the judge said. "He should have sought help to stop. Instead, the activity continued with more and more victims."

In a joint submission to the court, Crown prosecutor Brock Bellrichard and defence lawyer G. Janzen argued for seven months jail.

As is standard practice, Judge Heinrichs agreed to the sentence.

With time already spent behind bars, Dudus will spend a little more than three months in jail followed by three years probation, the maximum allowed.

He will also be barred from having a cell phone with a camera.

— This story was corrected at 11:05 a.m. Thursday, April 17, 2025, an earlier version incorrectly said that Calen Janzen was the defence lawyer.

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