By Joseph Nathan
28 February,.2025
An Ashburton businessman caught spying on two children getting changed at a Dunedin swimming pool has been ordered to pay $750 to his victims.
Mark Stephen Lester, listed online as a CFO for a South Canterbury engineering firm and as Chief Information Officer at EA Networks (formerly Electricity Ashburton), pleaded guilty to offensive behavior in the Dunedin District Court.
The 53-year-old father of three had no prior convictions, but the court heard he was previously granted diversion in 2008 for “peeping.”
On November 10, a grieving mother took her 12-year-old daughter and 9-year-old son to Moana Pool for a “cheer-up day.” They were in a family changing room when Lester, in the adjacent cubicle, used a mirror and a 10cm gap at the top of the wall to spy on them.
When the mother caught him, she forced her way into his cubicle, finding him standing on the bench. Lester pushed past her, locked himself in a toilet, and attempted to flush the mirror. Police later found it broken in the bowl.
The mother described the ordeal as “pretty disturbing” and feared he had recorded them, though no footage was found. Judge Emma Smith condemned Lester’s actions as deliberate and sexually motivated, saying they had “devastated” the victims and permanently affected their family.
Originally charged with doing an indecent act, Lester’s charge was reduced to offensive behavior, which carries a maximum $1000 fine. He must also pay $142 in court costs.
Lester has reportedly sought counseling and written an apology, but the damage is done. His position at EA Networks raises serious questions about accountability—should someone with a history of peeping be entrusted with IT leadership in a major organisation?
For the victims, the trauma lingers long after the court case.
The Paper 