National Police investigators in Benidorm have concluded a challenging case involving the use of new technologies to commit privacy offenses. They detained a man accused of five counts related to the privacy of individuals.
The investigation began last March after the suspect’s most recent partner discovered two mobile phones and an external USB storage device at his home. These devices contained video recordings of intimate encounters with previous partners and with the partner who made the discovery. The partner promptly returned to her mother’s home in Madrid and filed a formal report at a National Police station, setting in motion a coordinated inquiry. [Police sources]
The authorities explained that the suspect had been using a small camera installed in his living room and had told the women it was solely for the care and monitoring of his pet dog. He claimed the camera existed to keep the dog under control at all times, but the officers allege that this was a pretext to invade the privacy of others. As the investigation unfolded, the police noted that the women did not question the stated purpose and did not suspect ulterior motives at the time. [Police sources]
Following the victim’s report in Madrid, detectives continued the procedural steps necessary to identify all of the women who had been recorded. Law enforcement examined the contents of the two mobile devices and the USB drive to reconstruct the events and gather digital evidence for the court. The team worked to clarify the sequence of recordings, date stamps, and locations, with a view to presenting a complete evidentiary packet to the judicial authorities. [Police sources]
Ultimately, investigators identified four additional victims who reported that they were unaware of being filmed and certainly did not consent to any recording. The suspect, a 33-year-old Spanish national, now faces a charge of discovery and revelation of secrets. The case underscores the serious harm caused by surreptitious recording and the legal protections afforded to individuals in private settings. [Police sources]