A former southern Queensland anaesthetist who sexually assaulted unconscious female patients and took inappropriate pictures of them in an "appalling breach of trust" has been handed a suspended sentence.
Paschalis Tai-Lun Woo pleaded guilty in the Brisbane Magistrates Court to two counts of sexual assault and three counts of recordings in breach of privacy.
During a sentencing hearing the court heard the 59-year-old doctor committed the crimes against three women while working in Toowoomba on separate occasions between last November and January this year.
Police prosecutor Matt Kahler told the court Woo had taken advantage of his young patients, who were all aged in their 20s, and described the offending as "opportunistic" and "disturbing".
"The community would be outraged at this kind of behaviour.
"It would have been very, very disturbing for those young women and probably continues to [be]."
'Limited value' of jail time: Magistrate
His defence lawyer Mark McCarthy told the court his client had no criminal history and spent his "successful" career dedicating himself to "patient welfare".
"This is a someone who has made significant and substantial contributions," he said.
Mr McCarthy told the court his client had become "broken" from a major depressive disorder resulting from long-term work stress, which intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic, and this had "deprived" him the capacity to "make proper judgement".
"This is a person who has embarked upon quite extraordinary aberrant behaviour having regard to the person he once was," he said.
"This is a remarkable deterioration."
The court heard Woo had resigned from his position and could not renew his registration following his conviction.
When determining his punishment Acting Magistrate Peter Cooke accepted Woo was "genuinely remorseful" and said losing his position he had "worked hard for" was a penalty itself.
"You've paid a very high price for committing of these offences," he said.
Acting Magistrate Cooke told the court Woo had committed an "appalling breach of trust" but there was "limited value" of ordering he spend time in jail and believed he would not re-offend.
"I am not satisfied that it would be appropriate in the circumstances that you be actually imprisoned."
Woo was sentenced to nine months in jail, suspended for 18 months.
"I believe that is sufficient community denunciation for what you have done," Acting Magistrate Cooke said.
