In a shocking turn of events, a 39-year-old man from western Victoria has been denied bail following serious allegations of secretly filming intimate “upskirt” images of over 100 young girls in Melbourne and Ballarat. Derek Anthony Grima faced the Ballarat Magistrates Court on Monday, charged with producing intimate images, possessing child abuse material, stalking, and public nuisance offenses.
The court was informed that Grima allegedly targeted approximately 150 girls, believed to be between the ages of 12 and 15, in various public locations between January 1 and February 7 of this year. Detective Senior Constable Jordan Gibson revealed that some of the victims were known to police officers, raising further concerns about the incidents.
The investigation was sparked by a complaint from a witness at Ballarat’s Officeworks on January 25, where Grima was reported to have followed young girls around the store for nearly four hours. Upon his arrest, authorities discovered an iPhone application designed for covert photography, enabling the user to capture images and videos in “stealth mode.”
In a troubling revelation, police allegedly found over 5,000 photos and videos in Grima’s possession, much of it captured in locations such as a prominent girls’ school, cafes, public pools, and his own business. Senior Constable Gibson described the downloaded material as deeply disturbing, stating, “I am still reviewing the material … [it] left me feeling quite nauseous.”
Prosecutors vehemently opposed Grima’s bail application, arguing that he poses an “undeniable and unprecedented risk” to young females. “He has no boundaries or limitations,” emphasized Senior Constable Gibson in court, highlighting the gravity of the situation.
As the case unfolds, the community watches closely, grappling with the unsettling reality of such violations occurring in their midst.
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