AusLeisure

A 24-year-old man who indecently recorded young children in the changing rooms of public swimming pools in Perth for personal sexual gratification has been sentenced to six years jail.

Roman Wolodymyr Kopytko was first charged in May after being arrested after a young boy alerted his father to being recording in a cubicle at the Craigie Leisure Centre.

Kopytko pleaded guilty to more than 100 charges of recording at least 90 boys and girls, aged between 18 months and 11 years, between May 2021 and May 2023.

According to Western Australian Police, 22 of the children have been identified but the remaining victims remain unknown.

The District Court was told most of the offences happened at the Craigie Leisure Centre, but a couple of times Kopytko made recordings of children at the Wanneroo Aquamotion centre.

The Court heard the recordings were mostly made by Kopytko either putting his mobile phone underneath a partition or through a gap in a door.

Over time his offending became increasingly brazen and on some of the later occasions he used his foot to touch the foot of the victim.

He also masturbated in full view of some of the children.

The court was told often multiple recordings were made within hours of each other and they showed the children, sometimes with their siblings, being helped by their parents who were unaware of what was happening.

State Prosecutor Katie Webster said the offences were extremely serious because of the "incredible number of victims", adding “at least 90 parents must grapple with their naked child being recorded for the offender's own sexual gratification.

"Their feeling of safety in public places has been shattered."

Prosecutor Webster highlighted what she called the "considerable degree of planning and premeditation" in Kopytko offences.

She said more than 100 documents had been found on his phone that detailed school swimming carnival dates, primary school newsletters and term planners and she said his visits to the leisure centres had increased in frequency over the two years.

At the time of his arrest, the Court heard Kopytko was visiting the Craigie Leisure Centre nearly every day, some times for hours.

Kopytko also pleaded guilty to two charges of possessing child exploitation material, with the court hearing police found around 1,300 images of children being sexually abused on his laptop.

Judge Laurie Levy said two victim impact statements had been provided to the Court by the parents of children who police had been able to identify.

He said they spoke of the effect of the offences on the day-to-day life of the family and how the mother of one of the victims now finds it difficult to relax when she is with her children in public places.

Judge Levy said he had calculated Kopytko recorded children on 38 separate occasions, noting that while he appeared to recognise what he was doing was wrong, he was unable to control himself.

He urged Kopytko to undertake rehabilitation programs during his prison term.

Kopytko will have to serve four years before he can be released on parole.

With time already served, he'll first be eligible for release in May 2027.

Image: The entrance to the Craigie Leisure Centre.

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