A man in Taiwan who used a robot vacuum cleaner to gather evidence of his wife’s affair won a civil lawsuit but was subsequently sentenced to prison for invading her privacy.
A recently released court ruling, reported by local media, disclosed that the man, whose identity remains confidential, got married in 2021. The couple lived with his parents and only visited their holiday home during holidays.
In September 2023, the man discovered a used toothbrush at the holiday home, heightening his suspicions.
After reviewing surveillance footage from a parking garage, he identified an unknown man who had previously driven his wife home.
Three months later, he remotely activated the home’s robot vacuum cleaner via its mobile application, planning to use its built-in audio feature to communicate with his wife.
However, the live feed captured his wife in an intimate encounter with another man. Seeking evidence for a legal claim, he began recording the footage.
The video showed his wife changing clothes, embracing her alleged lover, and moving around the house unclothed, while her partner was seen lying on the sofa.
Shortly thereafter, the husband used the footage as evidence to sue his wife and her lover for infringing on his marital rights, seeking NT$2 million (US$68,000) in damages.
The court determined that their relationship had surpassed the limits of ordinary friendship and ordered the pair to pay the husband NT$500,000 in compensation.
However, this civil victory did not protect the husband from legal repercussions regarding how the evidence was obtained.
The wife subsequently counter-sued, accusing him of recording private footage without her consent. The man contended that the video had already been accepted by the civil court and that his actions were “legally justified.”
Nonetheless, the court rejected his defence, ruling that marital obligations do not supersede an individual’s right to privacy. It determined that the recording was deliberate.
Furthermore, any lights or voice alerts from the robot vacuum were deemed insufficient to establish that the wife was aware she was being recorded or had consented to the capture of the footage.
The man was ultimately sentenced to five months in prison and fined NT$150,000 for unlawfully recording private images.
Under Taiwanese law, secretly recording or disclosing another person’s private activities or intimate information without authorisation can result in a sentence of up to three years in prison and a fine of up to NT$300,000.
The case has garnered widespread attention on social media.
One online commenter noted: “The husband is a victim in some respects. He lost his marriage and also his freedom.”
Another remarked: “While proving infidelity can be challenging, there are legal avenues available, including chat histories, hotel receipts, and financial transactions. Seeking justice must always adhere to the boundaries of the law.” -- SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
