Primary school teacher accused of filming students in toilets denied bail

A primary school teacher accused of filming young pupils in the school toilets with hidden cameras has been denied bail.

Timothy Blamires appeared via video link at Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court on Friday, where he was charged with producing child abuse material after being arrested earlier this week.

The 33-year-old was arrested at Kingswood Primary School at Dingley Village after a school cleaner uncovered a hidden camera in an air freshener in the student toilets, the court was told.

Police were called to the school after the discovery, and the device was secured in the principal’s office.

It is alleged Blamires went into the principal’s office, took the device and hid it in another room before returning to his classroom to teach his year 3 students. The device was allegedly then found concealed in a room next to his classroom.

Magistrate Tim Gasutto closed the court for more than an hour to hear additional evidence from detectives before making his decision on Friday afternoon.

“The new evidence adds credence to the concern regarding destruction of evidence and the existence of further material,” Gasutto said.

He said police seized relevant devices from Blamires’ home on the day he was arrested, but were unable to unlock some of them.

“Some of the passwords you gave … were not successful in enabling access [to those devices],” Gasutto told the court.

The magistrate denied bail, despite Blamires’ brother offering to provide a $50,000 surety and stop the teacher from accessing the internet.

Gasutto said the risk was unacceptable, in light of potential harm to the community particularly to children and because of his failure to provide passwords.

The teacher will return to court later this month.

More to come.

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