Women who were secretly filmed by an Adelaide breast surgeon have told a court of the traumatic impact it has had on their lives.
Key points:
- Ho Keun Shin — also known as Peter Shin — admitted to 12 counts of indecent filming
- Some of his victims faced him in court, telling him how they had been shocked, humiliated and violated by his crimes
- He worked at Toorak Gardens and Bedford Park
Ho Keun Shin — who also goes by the name Peter Shin — has admitted to 12 counts of indecent filming.
The 46-year-old had worked at the Breast and Endocrine Centre at Toorak Gardens and was a visiting specialist at the Breast and Endocrine Surgical Unit at Flinders Medical Centre.
The court heard the incidents occurred between 16 October, 2019, and 4 August, 2021, at both of Shin’s workplaces.
Victim impact statements were read both in person and through prosecutors in the Adelaide Magistrates Court from four of the women who were secretly filmed.
The court heard Shin used his personal mobile phone to covertly film the female patients during the course of his physical examinations and hid the device inside a tissue box on a table with a slight cut in the side.
Prosecutor Kathryn McDonald told the court one of Shin’s patient’s had “first observed and reported the camera lens” inside a tissue box on the ultrasound table during an appointment in August, 2021.
The court heard Shin had admitted to filming the women, and said the videos were for “personal use” because he wanted to “play them back and look”.
In her victim impact statement, one woman said the surgery scars on her body were a daily reminder of how Shin abused her and violated her trust.
“I break down crying at all times throughout the day,” she told the court.
“I am shocked, I am humiliated, and I am so angry that you used your power to abuse me and other women.
“I don’t even have any family in the country who can support me in this.”
She said she would “never trust a male medical professional again”.
Another victim, who works as a medical professional, told the court Shin took advantage of her vulnerability during a time where she was facing serious health issues.
“Doctors do not violate the trust given to them by their patients,” she told the court.
“Doctors do not seek patients in vulnerable situations and take advantage of that for their own motivations.
“Peter Shin is not a doctor in my eyes.”
She told the court, Shin has caused her great emotional grief by violating her.
“He has impacted my confidence and has made me feel vulnerable,” she said.
“He has impacted my ability to breastfeed my child without fear of being violated again.
“The abuse of his position as a trusted medical specialist and the fact that he touched my private areas while secretly filming me is a serious betrayal of trust.
“You should carry yourself in shame for what you have done.”
David Edwardson KC, representing Shin, told the court his client apologised to each and every one of them.
“He is genuinely contrite and remorseful,” Mr Edwardson said.
The court also heard Shin was unable to gain ongoing work because of the publicity that surrounded his guilty plea.
His lawyer told the court a home detention sentence would limit his capacity to help and support his wife and children because the family was already struggling financially.
Outside the court, one of the victim’s made a brief statement.
“I’d like to encourage anyone who thinks that what he has done is inappropriate and disgusting for a doctor, to please consider putting a report in to the AHPRA (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency) medical registration board,” she said.
A home detention report has been ordered by the Magistrate.
Shin will be sentenced at a later date.