Melbourne doctor Ryan Cho's cache of 4,500 images after he spied on almost 1,000 workmates in the toilets of Austin Hospital, Royal Melbourne and the Peter MacCallum Centre

By WAYNE FLOWER, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER, AUSTRALIA Published: 04:43, 9 July 2026 | Updated: 04:59, 9 July 2026 A doctor who photographed and filmed hundreds of people as they used hospital toilets has finally admitted to serious breaches of trust.  On Thursday, Dr Ryan Yi Cho, 28, of Croydon Hills in Melbourne's East, pleaded guilty in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court to 13 consolidated charges involving close to 900 victims.  Cho covered his face in shame as he was surrounded by media outside the court and said nothing as he fled, providing no explanation for his behaviour. He was bailed until November 23 when he will face the County Court of Victoria for a pre-sentence hearing.  It is likely to be the first time he gives an explanation for his actions against his unsuspecting victims, many of whom tuned into Thursday's hearing by video link.  Cho pleaded guilty to charges including producing intimate images, installing optical surveillance devices, stalking and failing to comply with a direction to assist police.  The court heard Cho is suspected of possessing more than 4,500 images and about 160 videos of his victims in various states of undress.  Dr Ryan Yi Cho, 28, of Croydon Hills in Melbourne's East, pleaded guilty in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court to 13 consolidated charges involving close to 900 victims  Cho admitted secretly filming hundreds of people in hospital bathrooms and showers at multiple Melbourne hospitals since 2020. At least five Melbourne hospitals are believed to have been targeted by Cho, including the Austin Hospital, Royal Melbourne Hospital and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.  The court heard the stalking charge related to a single victim, of whom Cho took 104 intimate videos and 3,424 photos without her consent.  He also admitted to 'accessing her property and retaining her personal documents and images'. Cho faces years behind bars for the crimes against his unsuspecting hospital colleagues and members of the public.  But he currently remains free in the community for now after his wealthy parents put up a $50,000 bond. Cho had initially been remanded in custody, but he was released after a successful appeal to the Supreme Court of Victoria. Cho then replaced his legal team with lawyers from Doogue and George, who also represented accused mushroom poisoner Erin Patterson.  Cho (left) had been helped out of jail by his previous lawyer George Balot (right), whom he later replaced  During an earlier bail hearing, the court heard Cho grew up in Singapore and had no prior criminal history. He enjoyed hiking, reading and had a passion for learning. Cho was first arrested on July 10 after a phone concealed in a mesh bag was discovered in a staff toilet at the Austin Hospital in Melbourne’s north-east.  A subsequent examination of his electronic devices by detectives led to numerous new allegations. During an appearance at Melbourne Magistrates' Court on July 25, the court heard police officers found 10,374 video and image files of Cho's victims on several devices. Victoria Police told the court they suspected as many as 460 people had been affected, with their names found on numerous folders on Cho’s computer.  The folders allegedly contained a variety of footage of both men and women using hospital toilets, the court heard. Following his arrest, Cho was banned from every hospital where he had worked. The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency suspended Cho’s medical licence, meaning he can no longer work or study medicine.  Cho's parents (pictured at an earlier hearing) put up a $50,000 surety to help him secure bail  Police told the court that Cho was a 'devious' offender who knew exactly what he wanted and how to go about it. 'The accused has demonstrated in his level and pattern of offending that he is calculated and obsessed,' Senior Constable Neral Baykur said at an earlier hearing. 'The accused devoted enormous amounts of time and effort into keeping his colleagues under surveillance in their bathroom facilities. '[He went] to lengths to tamper with surrounding toilets to divert victims into where he set up and concealed his device, only to spend more time downloading and categorising the intimate footage and storing it on his laptop.' It was also alleged in court that Cho captured much of the footage by hanging mesh bags containing mobile phones on the back of staff toilet doors, which police allege he activated to capture hours of footage. One phone allegedly contained 4,500 intimate videos of staff members, the court was told at an earlier hearing, but the total figure was reduced in the rolled-up charges.  One video file ran for more than three hours and allegedly captured various hospital staff in states of undress as they used the toilet, the court heard. Cho had come to Australia in 2017 to study medicine at Monash University. Cho committed crimes within the Austin Hospital (pictured)  On completion in 2022, Cho graduated with Bachelor of Medical Science and Doctor of Medicine degrees. He became an Australian citizen and had been working as a resident surgeon at Austin Hospital. Cho had no prior criminal history in Australia or overseas.  Dozens of women are now seeking compensation from Austin Hospital, Royal Melbourne Hospital and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.  All three hospitals are facing complaints made to the Australian Human Rights Commission for allegedly failing to prevent the sexual harassment of their employees by Cho.