A young trainee doctor has been released on bail after being charged with secretly filming hundreds of health workers in Australian hospital bathrooms.
Ryan Cho (28) is likely to face around 500 criminal charges relating to 4,500 private recordings. He surreptitiously recorded videos on mobile devices, mainly in the toilets of three Melbourne hospitals, from 2021, according to police allegations in the Supreme Court of Victoria.
Judge James Elliott set the conditions of the trainee's release, requiring him to live with his parents, who had moved from Singapore to Melbourne specifically ahead of their son's release.
Family members posted bail of 50,000 Australian dollars (about 27,000 euros).
The prosecution argued that the existing charges created a flight risk for the suspect given his lack of strong ties to Australia following his suspension.
Prosecutors said that although Cho received permanent resident status in April, he could be deported if convicted to 12 months or more in prison.
The court decision noted that the accused had surrendered his Singapore passport and had no criminal contacts that would facilitate his departure from the country.
The investigation claims that there are recordings of a private nature involving at least 460 women. The judge emphasized the lack of evidence that the defendant distributed these materials.
Cho's arrest came in July after a hidden phone was found in a mesh bag in a toilet at Austin Hospital. Police say similar recordings were made in toilets at the Peter McCallum Cancer Centre and the Royal Melbourne Hospital.
Defence lawyer Julian McMahon dismissed the prosecution's arguments about possible witness tampering, pointing to hundreds of potential victims in similar incidents.
“The alleged influence on witnesses attributed to my client will not be able to significantly affect the course of the case,” the lawyer said.
The original six charges were expanded to 127 additional counts on Thursday, including illegal recording of intimate material.
The lawyer emphasized that it was premature to discuss the prospects of transferring the case to court, noting the lack of procedural actions on the part of the client.
Cho arrived in Australia in 2017 as a medical student at Monash University in Melbourne.
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
