Junior doctor arrested, phone seized over alleged toilet spying

A junior doctor at a major Melbourne hospital has been charged with stalking and other offences after staff uncovered a mobile phone allegedly recording them in an employee bathroom.

The man’s colleagues at The Austin, in Melbourne’s northeastern suburbs, uncovered the recording device in a restricted staff toilet on July 3, according to Victoria Police.

The Austin Hospital in Heidelberg.Credit: Eddie Jim

“The device is believed to have been in place for some time before staff became aware and reported the matter to police,” a police spokesman said.

The 27-year-old man was arrested in a raid at Heidelberg West on Thursday, and has been charged with stalking and use of an optical surveillance device.

He was released on bail and will return to court in August.

In a statement, an Austin Health spokeswoman said the facility contacted authorities after the discovery.

“We take the safety and wellbeing of our staff extremely seriously and recently made a formal report to Victoria Police,” the spokeswoman said in a statement.

“As this matter is now with the police, we are not able to share more information about the nature of the report.”

The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency has been contacted for comment.

The Austin houses one of the most comprehensive cancer services in the Southern Hemisphere and is also one of Victoria’s major hubs for spinal injuries, transplants and plastic and reconstructive surgeries.

It is also a major public teaching hospital and has research partnerships with a number of Melbourne universities.

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