A survivor says there were some “awful stories” heard in court as Auckland man Micah Te Ahu Fala was sentenced for using hidden cameras to film women and girls in bathrooms, but it was an empowering moment to see him in the dock.
Forty-one-year-old Fala was sentenced to four years in prison yesterday on 42 charges against 22 women and girls. He had used hidden cameras to secretly film his female friends, colleagues, children and teenagers in vulnerable positions over a period of nine years.
One survivor, who chose to forgo her name suppression, was Angelene Judge, who told Breakfast that being in court for the sentencing was “really harrowing”.
“We all read out our victim impact statements and there is some awful stories in there and hearing about the wide-reaching impacts of the offending and what its had on victims and their families was really difficult to listen to, especially from the kids,” she said.
“I think that part was as important as hearing the judgement being passed down on him and the sentencing – that part really stuck with me from the day. It was a really emotional day.”
Judge said it was difficult to “look him in the eye” and see “an emotionless face staring back at me”.
“It was also an empowering moment, and to be coming from a place of strength and courage for all of us that were there facing him and the ones who couldn’t be there and also the women we represent.”
She said some of those subject to Fala’s offending were yet to be identified, and said there would be other women who were “within Micah’s orbit” who would be questioning if they too were victims of his offending.
Asked what made her go to the police, Judge said she had heard rumours of what he had been doing and decided to cut contact with him.
“It’s a hard leap to make for your best friend to go from thinking they’re one of the greatest people in the world to acknowledging that they are a predator. But while there were no red flags, there were a lot of puzzle pieces that suddenly clicked into place when I got that information.
“My big fear was there were going to be more victims, so that’s what caused me to go to the police.”
Judge said she second-guessed her choice along the way.
Angelene Judge worried there would be more victims of Micah Fala’s offending, which prompted her to go to the police. (Source: Breakfast)
“To be fair, I was also worried about my own physical safety over a man who had keys to my house once upon a time, knew every aspect of my life and was possibly sitting on a huge bank of pornographic footage of me, so all of those sorts of things were playing on my mind.”
She said he was going to leave jail at some point, and the women “need to know the danger he presents to the community”.
Judge said it was a “complete shock” to find out that spy cameras could be bought online and was calling for a law change to make purchasing them more difficult.
“Particularly, I worry about young boys, and what the accessibility of those devices says to them about its acceptability and just how easy it is for them to slip into that crime. And then how common it is for people who start offending in that way to escalate to the point where it becomes contact offending.”
Judge encouraged people with a gut feeling to “come forward and speak up”, saying the police and justice system take the crime seriously.
The 41-year-old pleaded guilty earlier this year to 42 charges. (Source: 1News)
Trial judge thanks victims for their courage
There are 22 known victims of Fala’s crimes, including a police officer, though the identity of three victims remain unknown.
Charges he faced included possessing objectionable material, making objectionable publications, making an intimate visual recording and possession of intimate visual recordings.
He also faced three charges of sexual conduct with a child under 12, related to him stroking a child’s foot.
In court yesterday, Judge Kevin Glubb thanked those who spoke in court for their courage.
“It is clear this has had a huge impact on you. The statements echo the violation, the shock, the disgust.”
Justice Glubb said to Fala: “The effects of your deliberate offending have robbed them of that feeling of safety.”
He described the offending as “callous and disgusting conduct” which was done to “satisfy your sexual gratification”.
Fala is now on the child sex offender register.
