ALEXANDRO ZAVAO SHOCKS SUTTON COLDFIELD AND MOSELEY WITH SCHOOL TOILET SPYING INCIDENT

In a disturbing case that has shocked the communities of Moseley and Sutton Coldfield, a school cleaner named Alexandro Zavao was convicted of spying on teenage girls in school toilets, an act that has left victims and witnesses deeply distressed.

The incident took place in May of the previous year at a school located in Sutton Coldfield, where Zavao, then 40 years old and residing on Wake Green Road in Moseley, was employed as a cleaner. The victims, two teenage girls, were using the facilities when one of them noticed an unsettling sight that would forever impact her sense of safety and trust.

According to court reports, the girl was in a cubicle when her phone lit up. Curious, she looked down and was horrified to see the eye of Zavao peering underneath the partition from the neighboring cubicle. The girl immediately screamed, causing Zavao to flee the scene. The alarm was raised quickly, and police officers responded to the incident. CCTV footage from the school was reviewed, which led to the identification of Zavao as the perpetrator.

During the subsequent court proceedings at Birmingham Crown Court, Zavao was sentenced to ten weeks in prison. District Judge Ian Strongman expressed his condemnation of the defendant’s actions, stating, “It seems to me there is clear evidence that you deliberately abused your position of trust.”

Zavao had previously admitted to a charge of observing another person engaging in a private act for sexual gratification. As part of his sentence, he was also ordered to register as a sex offender for a period of seven years.

The court heard that Zavao’s employment was arranged through an agency, and he was on his first day working at the Sutton Coldfield school. The prosecution, led by Jim Mason, explained that the victim was using the toilet when her phone lit up. Upon looking at her device, she saw Zavao’s eye staring at her from beneath the cubicle. She screamed, and both girls later reported the incident to the deputy headmistress. The victim described feeling “shocked and angry” about what had happened.

Defense attorney Abid Hussain argued that Zavao’s actions were not premeditated. He explained that Zavao, who had limited English skills, mistakenly entered the women’s toilets, believing they were the men’s facilities. Hussain emphasized that Zavao had been hired by an agency and that it was his first day at the school. He also noted that Zavao wanted to use the toilet and, due to his language barrier, entered the wrong restroom.

District Judge Strongman addressed the court, emphasizing the breach of trust inherent in Zavao’s role as a cleaner. “As a cleaner, you would be entitled to go into the girls’ toilets as part of your duties. That means, necessarily, that you are in a position of trust. As soon as you realized some girls had come in, you should have made your presence known and left. Instead, you waited until they went into the cubicles and looked underneath where the girl was using the toilet. It was a teenage girl, and she was understandably alarmed. It seems to me there is clear evidence that you deliberately abused your position of trust.”

Earlier in January, a similar incident had occurred at the same school, further highlighting concerns about safety and supervision. In that case, Zavao, also 40 and from Moseley, pleaded guilty to observing a teenage girl in the toilets for the purpose of sexual gratification. The court had adjourned sentencing until February 12 for further reports, and Zavao was granted conditional bail.

Prosecutor Jim Mason recounted that two girls had entered the school’s toilets, which were designated for students in years nine and ten, located off the main corridor. One of the girls placed her phone on the floor, and it lit up. When she looked down, she saw Zavao’s eye staring at her from beneath the cubicle. She screamed, and both girls later reported the incident to the deputy headmistress. The teenage girl involved expressed her shock and anger, initially thinking it was a prank by another pupil.

Police reviewed CCTV footage, which confirmed Zavao’s involvement, and he was subsequently charged. The incident had caused lasting anxiety among the students, with both girls feeling uneasy about using public toilets afterward. Zavao’s defense, led by Hussain, highlighted that he was of good character prior to this incident, had only been employed at the school for a short time, and that the act was not premeditated. Hussain also mentioned that Zavao had recently become unemployed and that his wife had asked him to move out following the conviction.

This case has raised serious concerns about safeguarding and the responsibilities of school cleaning staff, especially those who hold positions of trust within educational environments. The community continues to grapple with the implications of these disturbing events, which have underscored the importance of vigilance and proper oversight in school settings.