UBC Okanagan student pleads guilty to filming woman in washroom after RCMP allegedly hesitate to pursue charge

WARNING: This story contains descriptions of voyeurism that might be upsetting to some readers.

A student at the University of British Columbia's Okanagan(UBCO) campus has admittedhe filmeda fellow student in a campus bathroom, pleading guilty to a criminal charge the victim believes might not have been laid because of the RCMP's initial response to the case.

Sari Siyam, 22, pleaded guilty to one count of voyeurism inB.C. Supreme Court in Kelowna, B.C., on Friday.He sat in the gallery as his lawyers spoke and read aloud anapology letter addressed to the victim.

"I am sincerely sorry," said Siyam, a fourth-year engineering student at UBCO."I can only imagine the unnecessaryfear and anxiety I put you through ... I am ready to accept my consequence and take full responsibility for my actions."

CBC News first reported on the case last year,detailing the victim's experience with the RCMP. Herreal name is protected by a publication banbut CBC has used the pseudonym Taylor.

Taylor caught Siyam filming her in the gender-neutralwashroom in the Commons building on March 10, 2020. She saw the camera on awhite iPhone pointed up at her from under the stall divider and confronted him.

She saidshetold RCMP she "absolutely" wanted to move ahead with charges and that the responding RCMP officer Const. Ryan Routley was initially supportive.

But later, she said,Routleystarted talking about the suspect's background and how a criminal conviction might negatively affect his life.

"He was sort of implying he's been brought up the right way, mentioned that he had a girlfriend, that he was an engineering student with a co-op .... He keptsort of reiterating he will never get a job [if he's charged]," Taylor said during an interview with CBC.

Confused, she said, she agreed to stop pursuing the case.

The voyeurism charge to which Siyam pleaded guilty Friday was only approved after a second RCMP officer took over the case. It also came two weeks after CBC published its article.

At the time, RCMP said it could not comment on Routley's conduct as the case was before the courts. On Tuesday, when asked again in wake of the guilty plea, a spokesperson said the forcewill still "not be commenting on internal matters related to this incident."

"I can tell you that theKelowna RCMP continues to re-evaluate the ongoing quality of investigations through quality assurance. Proper training has been provided to police officers and we are also ensuring better supervision on more complex investigations, normally handled by front-line investigators with oversight by our Sex Crimes Unit," theemail read.

'5 or6' other students filmed in bathroom

In an agreed statement of facts presented to the court Friday, Siyamadmitted to filming Taylor. He'd pointedhisiPhone under the divider between his stall and hers and watchedthe video fromhis Apple Watch.

In a subsequent interview, court heard, hetold police he'dfilmed another "five or six"students the same way as they used the bathroom the previous day.

Those students still don't know they were filmed.

Taylor claimed Routley knew about the "five or six" others, but did not tell her when they were discussing charges.

Judge hands down conditional discharge

Siyam said hedid not save the videos, didn't upload them anywhereand did not use them for a sexual purpose. His lawyer, MichaelOykhman, said he was struggling with his mental health at the time of the offence.

Siyam was sentenced Friday to a conditional discharge with 12 months' probation. If he follows the terms of his sentence, which include an order to obtaincounselling and send an apology letter to Taylor, he will not have a criminal record.

Oykhman said Siyamhas beenbanned from UBCO's campus but still takes classes remotely.A spokesperson for the universityon Monday said the school could not comment, citing privacy.

Taylor has since graduated from the university.

CBC News corroborated her recollection by examining emails, notes and text messages, as well as through interviews with friends, family and confidential sources with direct knowledge of the events.

• Click here for more stories from CBC Kelowna

If you are the victim of sexual violence, please reach out for help toHealthLinkBCby calling811, or through theCrime Victim Assistance Programat1-866-660-3888 orVictimLink BCat1-800-563-0808 or text604-836-6381.

Those seeking support from the Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office at UBC Okanagancan call250-807-9640.