Calgary man charged with voyeurism for 'CanadaCreep' Twitter videos released on $2K bail
Jeffrey Williamson faces 6 criminal charges in relation to videos filmed up women's skirts and posted online
A 42-year-old Calgary man was released Thursday on $2,000 bail in connection with the now suspended "CanadaCreep" Twitter account, which had posted hundreds of secretly recorded images of women's bodies over the past year.
Jeffrey Williamson was arrested earlier this week and charged with voyeurism and distributing voyeuristic material in relation to each of three separate incidents.
Police allege he was behind the "CanadaCreep" account, which had amassed roughly 17,000 followers since June 2016 by posting photos and videos of unsuspecting Calgary women as they walked down the street, through public parks or in Calgary's downtown network of elevated walkways.
Some of the posts included videos filmed up women's skirts, and it's those videos that prompted the voyeurism charges.
Hundreds of other posts included photos or video that police described as "extremely disturbing" but not necessarily criminal.
To qualify as voyeurism, non-nude images that are recorded surreptitiously must be taken "for a sexual purpose" and in a situation where there is a "reasonable expectation of privacy," according to the Criminal Code of Canada.
Staff Sgt. Cory Dayley told reporters the videos that were filmed "underneath a layer of clothing" would be considered to have violated an expectation of privacy.
But the bulk of the images tweeted by the "CalgaryCreep" account — which tended to focus on women's clothed breasts, buttocks and genital areas — aren't prosecutable in the same way, he said.
Dayley said police also executed a search warrant and seized hundreds of thousands of other images from Williamson's digital devices that date back as early as 2012.
Police expect to lay more charges against Williamson in the future.
Williamson appeared at his bail hearing Thursday via CCTV from the Calgary Remand Centre in a blue jump suit.
His bail comes with numerous conditions, including:
- A ban on using computers and devices that can access the internet.
- A ban on using devices capable of recording images or video.
- A ban on accessing social media.
- A ban on having any contact with the complainants.
- The requirement that he remain in Alberta.
With files from Dan McGarvey