CONTENT WARNING: This article discusses sexual misconduct.
When Sarah first moved to Sydney from Canada, she thought she’d landed in a typical share house. Months later, she’d find out her home was the scene of a serious breach of privacy.
Luis Alberto Cancino Mena, 39, will now be sentenced after police uncovered that he’d secretly filmed three of his female housemates in the bathroom and, in one case, in a bedroom. None of the women had any idea what was going on until after they’d moved out.
It all came to light in an unexpected way. Cleaners working at the property stumbled upon what looked like a regular pen on the bathroom floor. But when they opened it up, they realised it was actually a hidden camera. The device was still recording, and when the storage card was checked, it showed footage of the cleaners themselves — and of a woman in the shower.
The landlord took the device straight to the police. Investigators found more than just the bathroom footage. They uncovered videos of Cancino setting up the camera, and folders on his laptop named after the women, containing recordings from both the bathroom and one of the bedrooms.
Sarah, who was one of the women filmed, described the moment she found out at the police station: “I felt violated, scared, confused — I couldn’t believe someone could do such a thing,” she told the ABC.
“It’s something that you would see on TV or in movies but never something that you could imagine happening to you.”
For Sarah, the betrayal was deeply personal. “It’s a form of violence against women … If I’m not safe in my home, where can I be safe,” she said.
She explained that the experience left her constantly on edge: “It definitely put me on edge, made me trust people less because of it and I just want this chapter of my life closed so I can move on.”
She’s been attending court hearings, hoping for closure.
“It was definitely scary [seeing him in person again]. My heart was beating out of my chest … he’s a predator, he’s a criminal,” Sarah said.
“It was an attack on women, and I don’t think a person like that deserves to be here in Australia … ultimately I just want him to get what he deserves.”
What happened in court?
Cancino, who is from Chile and was living in Australia on a temporary visa, pleaded guilty to three counts of intentionally recording intimate images without consent. His passport was seized, and he told police he planned to leave Australia and not return.
Sentencing was expected to happen on Thursday, but the case was pushed back to July after his lawyer raised concerns about the statement of facts.
Sarah said the delay was frustrating: “I find that they’re finding any little reason to delay sentencing, it’s wasting my time, it’s wasting the courts time. He doesn’t deserve to be here … He’s not a good person to have here and for the safety of the victims and other women, he needs to go.”
How common is this?
Unfortunately, these kinds of cases are on the rise. According to the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR), there were 422 finalised charges for recording or threatening to record intimate images without consent in 2024 — up from 267 the year before. The proportion of charges that resulted in convictions has stayed about the same.
Sarah hopes her story will encourage others to stay alert, especially in a rental market where people can feel pressured to overlook red flags. “I think the rental market is so crazy … and we kind of let our guard down and let things slide just trying to get into a place,” she said.
“I know that something like this is not my fault. I didn’t do anything to have this happen and there was nothing I could’ve done to prevent it. So speaking out, having my truth told, was important.”
Help is available.
If you’re in distress, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or chat online. If it’s an emergency, please call 000.
Under 25? You can reach the Kids Helpline at 1800 55 1800 or chat online.
Lead image: iStock
The post Man Who Secretly Filmed Female Housemates In Bedroom And Bathroom To Be Sentenced appeared first on PEDESTRIAN.TV .
