S'porean doctor in Australia who allegedly filmed 4,500 videos of women in bathrooms released on bail

A Singaporean trainee surgeon in Australia accused of secretly recording hundreds of his female colleagues in hospital bathrooms was granted bail on Aug. 22.

He was released on several conditions, including that he abide by a nighttime curfew, get medical treatment and counselling, and live with his parents, who paid a A$50,000 (S$41,400) surety, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported.

Ryan Cho, 28, was arrested in late July in relation to hidden cameras discovered in the toilets and showers of three Melbourne hospitals he had worked at since 2021 — the Austin Hospital, the Royal Melbourne Hospital, and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.

The police found more than 10,000 intimate files, including 4,500 videos, on an electronic device in Cho's home, The Age reported.

Apart from hospital staff, his former housemate was also allegedly filmed nearly 150 times.

The charges

Cho is currently facing over 130 charges related to stalking, producing intimate images, and installing optical surveillance devices.

Prosecutors expect the number to rise to 500 by October 2025, The Age reported.

The Victoria state Supreme Court heard that the files found on Cho's hard drive were allegedly organised into folders and subfolders, based on the facilities, victims, and "tiers".

There was also allegedly a planning document found on Cho's laptop.

The prosecutor described Cho's toilet spying as calculated and obsessive, involving meticulous planning over years.

The defence's case

Aug. 22 was Cho's second attempt at bail since his arrest, the first one denied by the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on the grounds that he had no ties to Victoria and thus posed a flight risk.

This time, however, Cho's lawyer told the court there was no evidence Cho had links to people who could help him flee the country, nor that he was violent or threatened the safety of those he filmed, ABC reported.

There were also "no allegation of the material being distributed, forwarded, or marketed", the lawyer added.

Furthermore, he described Cho as a "complicated young professional man with what will almost undoubtedly be understood eventually as a complex medical psychological issue together with criminal conduct", as quoted by The Age.

According to his lawyer, Cho had been kept in solitary confinement in prison, and only allowed out to exercise in a caged area for one hour a day.

He argued that Cho needed to be released so he could better access "intensive treatment", The Herald Sun reported.

He told the court that if released, Cho would live with his parents, who have paid six months' rent upfront for a three-bedroom property in Melbourne.

Cho's parents, who attended the hearing, have now moved from Singapore to Melbourne to support their son.

The father told the court that if Cho was bailed, they would go on long walks, hike, and read books together, The Age reported.

He added that he was willing and able to financially support his son on bail with the surety.

He had already paid more than A$500,000 (S$413,720) for Cho's education.

When asked if he knew about his son's alleged offences, Cho's father said he and his wife "had no idea", The Herald Sun reported.

Bail conditions

While acknowledging that the alleged victims wanted Cho to remain in custody, the judge said that those views cannot determine the outcome of Cho's bail application.

Under the other conditions of his bail, he has surrendered his passport, and will have to report to a police station three times a week, according to ABC.

He will also not be allowed to attend a hospital except in emergencies, nor allowed to own any recording devices, such as cameras or phones.

Cho is expected to return to court in November.

He had been an Australian registered medical practitioner since January 2023, according to The Age, but his licence has now been suspended.

Top image from Google Photos and Austin Health