Man Accused of Hidden Camera Recordings at ADFA Faces Over 260 Charges

In short:

A man accused of using a hidden camera to record female cadets at the Australian Defence Force Academy is now facing more than 260 charges after a court hearing on Tuesday.

Tain Stephens was also charged with one count of possessing child abuse material and one count of using a carriage service to transmit sexual material without consent.

What's next?

The court extended Mr Stephens's bail, and he will be allowed to appear via video link when the case returns to court in November.

A man accused of using a camera hidden in a bathroom soap dispenser to record female cadets at the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) in Canberra is now facing more than 260 charges.

In May, Tain Stephens, 20, pleaded not guilty to five counts of capturing intimate visual data, and in July another 77 counts of the offence were laid.

He was also charged with one count of possessing child abuse material and one count of using a carriage service to transmit sexual material without consent.

Court documents tendered after his first appearance alleged more than 40,000 files were found on the then Army officer cadet's devices, with police warning further forensic examination could "reveal more victims" and additional intimate recordings.

Defence will need weeks to obtain instructions

Today, the court heard Mr Stephens was facing another 181 offences, including capturing visual data as well as possessing, controlling, producing, supplying or obtaining child abuse material.

Prosecutor James Malloy told the court the charges "arise from the same factual circumstances".

"It will take all parties some time to consider the material," Mr Malloy said.

Mr Stephens is no longer a member of the Australian Defence Force and remains on bail in Queensland.

His lawyer Angus Mackie-Williams said he would need 10 weeks to obtain instructions before entering pleas, and asked that his client be excused from appearing in court at the next mention.

"It would be a great burden on him to travel to the ACT,"

he said.

The court extended Mr Stephens' bail, and he will be allowed to appear via video link when the case returns to court in November.