Police are investigating a case of illegal secret filming in a girls' dressing room at St Olofsskolan school in Turku, according to the Southwestern Finland Police Department.
Police described the suspect as a young man who worked as a classroom assistant at the school, who they say placed a video camera in the dressing room and secretly filmed around 230 girls.
St Olofsskolan provides basic education for Swedish-speaking pupils in grades 7–9.
Authorities suspect the crimes took place between December 2021 and the spring term of 2022.
According to Detective Inspector Maria Sainio, an investigation has confirmed that no secret filming had occurred before or after that period of time.
The statute of limitations has already run out on most of the suspected crimes, preventing the opening of a preliminary investigation about them.
However, in 35 cases, the surreptitiously recorded videos showed children undressed in a way that made them victims of sexual exploitation crimes, according to police.
"In these cases, there is no legal time limit [to pursue the case], and police will be in contact with the victims personally," Sainio said in a press release.
Letters were sent to the affected children and their parents earlier this month, notifying them about the situation.
Officials decline comment
Yle's Swedish-speaking regional news bureau contacted the City of Turku's Swedish-language education chief, Lilian Kjellman, about the matter. However, she declined to comment at this stage, referring such queries to the police.
The school's rector, Krister Karlsson, also declined to comment, according to Yle Svenska.
The suspect was held in custody, but has since been released.
Apart from the illegal secret filming and sexual exploitation crimes, the man is also suspected of distribution of pornographic images.
"During the preliminary investigation, it has not emerged that the secretly filmed videos were distributed anywhere. Since the crime classification of distribution of a pornographic image also includes the production of such an image – in this case, illegal photography – this [criminal] classification must also be taken into account in the case," DI Sainio said in the release.
Police also suspect the same man in another case of illegal filming in a case that came to the attention of authorities in May, according to the police press release.
Edited to amend headline.
