'That man took a photo': 70yo accused of filming girl at North Shore netball venue

Author: Rachel Maher,
Publish Date: Thu, 6 Aug 2026, 7:26am

A man has been charged after a young girl raised the alarm that he was taking pictures of her while she played netball. Photo / 123RF

A young North Shore girl’s decision to tell her mother a man was taking her photo while she played netball sparked a swift response that led to a 70-year-old man being charged.

North Harbour Netball chief executive Lynette Brady said the incident highlighted the importance of children speaking up and adults taking concerns seriously.

The accused man is due to appear in the North Shore District Court next week.

Brady said the girl was playing netball at the Barfoot & Thompson Netball Centre on Monday night when she noticed the man allegedly taking her picture.

The girl told her mother, who alerted staff, who contacted police.

Brady said she was pleased with the quick response as any delay could have allowed the man to leave before action was taken.

“I thought it was really important that the little girl had the confidence to say to her mum, ‘That man just took a photo’, and that the mother reacted as quickly as she did and didn’t just brush it off,” Brady said.

The incident highlighted the importance of open conversations with children, and taking their concerns seriously, she said.

Brady said young people, particularly girls, could sometimes dismiss situations like this as “just a photo”, but warned that in the current environment, seemingly minor incidents could have wider implications.

“It’s not just a photo. In this day and age, just a photo leads to whatever else it leads to, unfortunately,” she said.

She said North Harbour Netball had policies to respond to issues raised.

“Everybody did what they needed to do to ensure that that environment remained as safe as we can.”

Brady said she was pleased the person involved was now “out of circulation” and hoped the response was a deterrent to anyone considering inappropriate behaviour.

With a high turnover of visitors, she said the organisation relied on people speaking up.

“We rely on people communicating to us what’s happening.”

Waitematā CIB acting Detective Inspector Megan Goldie said a 70-year-old man had been charged with making an intimate visual recording. He would appear in the North Shore District Court next week.

The charge carries a maximum sentence of three years’ imprisonment.

Investigations were continuing, Goldie said.

Rachel Maher is the NZ Herald’s education correspondent. She also covers Auckland issues, crime and local government. She started at the Herald as a breaking news journalist in 2022, before joining the Auckland team this year.