The identity of Dr. Thanh Thuan Nguyen, a doctor accused of filming naked women and children in the changing rooms of Melbourne's Harold Holt Swimming Centre, has been revealed following the lifting of a court-imposed gag order. Dr. Nguyen, an overseas-born general practitioner, had his identity suppressed for two months after successfully convincing a Melbourne court to hide his name.
The allegations include filming women and at least one child, believed to be around three years old, while they were undressed in the showers at the Glen Iris facility. The filming was allegedly captured on Dr. Nguyen's phone, positioned upward from under a shower stall partition.
Pool staff were reportedly disturbed by the allegations and posted Dr. Nguyen's image within the facility, an action that was in breach of the interim suppression order. Lawyers for The Age newspaper challenged the gag order, which had initially been granted partly due to concerns about the impact on Dr. Nguyen's son, who had previously been involved in a serious accident.
Dr. Nguyen faces five charges, including the production of child abuse material. Police seized 20 electronic devices from his home. A preliminary analysis of his phone suggested a pattern of offending dating back to at least 2024. Detectives are working to identify all alleged victims, with two locations found on the doctor's phone yet to be identified.
During a bail hearing, Dr. Nguyen's wife provided a $100,000 surety and stated she would support him, despite the allegations. He was granted bail on the condition that he surrender his passport, stay away from public changing rooms, and refrain from practicing medicine. He was permitted to retain possession of a mobile phone.
The case has prompted discussions about suppression orders, with Victoria's Opposition leader indicating a review of the laws to ensure they are not used by offenders to evade accountability.