WARNING: This story contains content that may be disturbing

Joseph Mosen secretly filmed up the skirts of dozens of women in shops and then did it again to concertgoers while working as a security guard at the country’s largest music festival.

But when a 16-year-old girl caught him in the act, police were led to evidence he had been making intimate films of numerous unsuspecting women.

Mosen appeared in the Christchurch District Court today for sentencing on multiple counts of making intimate visual recordings.

The court heard Mosen had followed the teen into a store and used his cellphone to film up her skirt.

When she realised what he was doing, she reported the incident.

Joseph Mosen faced multiple charges of making intimate visual recordings.

He left the store and found another victim. Mosen walked up behind her and put his phone, which was recording, under her skirt.

He was arrested days later.

A search of his cell phone revealed more than 30 intimate videos of about 40 women taken in public over the year to December 2024.

Most of the videos were shot in retail outlets where he would wander around stores, stand near women and act as if he was browsing before bending down and filming underneath their skirts.

In 2024, he was working as a security guard at the Electric Avenue festival in Christchurch when he took videos by placing his phone on the ground at an entrance point to the event.

Close to an hour of footage captured dozens of men and women. The women wearing skirts were captured in their underwear.

Mosen admitted to police he had made intimate recordings.

An Electric Avenue spokesperson previously told Stuff organisers had no knowledge of charges having been laid against any of its security guards.

Several security firms were contracted to work the event each year, they said.

In court, the 16-year-old said in her victim impact statement that she was now fearful of going out.

She hoped there would be no more victims.

Defence lawyer Joshua Macleod pointed out that most of the victims were not identifiable.

He accepted it was serious offending and said Mosen realised he had done wrong and showed deep remorse.

Mosen had made an effort to seek help, attending alcohol and drug sessions and therapy sessions.

The pre-sentence report was extensive, with a recommendation for home detention. It also described Mosen as having a high degree of entitlement.

Police agreed home detention was appropriate and asked for reparation in the form of an emotional harm payment for the 16-year-old.

Judge Paul Kellar said it was estimated close to 40 women had been targeted, and they all had a reasonable expectation of privacy.

While there was no evidence Mosen, who was convicted in 2018 for doing an indecent act, had shared the footage, Judge Kellar said the offending was premeditated and calculated.

The offending at the music festival was a gross breach of trust, being in uniform and performing the functions of a security guard, and significant harm had been caused to the one identified victim.

Judge Kellar took a starting point of 18 months in prison, then allowed 25% discount for Mosen’s guilty pleas and 5% for the rehabilitative steps he had taken.

He was sentenced to six months home detention and ordered to make a $500 emotional harm payment to the victim. A destruction order for the cell phone was also made.

SEXUAL HARM

Where to get help: If it's an emergency and you feel that you or someone else is at risk, call 111.If you've ever experienced sexual assault or abuse and need to talk to someone, contact Safe to Talk confidentially, any time 24/7:
• Call 0800 044 334
• Text 4334
• Email [email protected]
• For more info or to web chat visit safetotalk.nz
Alternatively contact your local police station - click here for a list.
If you have been sexually assaulted, remember it's not your fault.

Al Williams is an Open Justice reporter for the New Zealand Herald, based in Christchurch. He has worked in daily and community titles in New Zealand and overseas for the last 16 years. Most recently he was editor of the HC Post, based in Whangamata. He was previously deputy editor of Cook Islands News.