A 54-year-old man has been accused of installing a hidden camera in a public bathroom at North Canberra Hospital and capturing intimate images, including of a 10-year-old girl. Koroush Ghazi faced the ACT Magistrates Court via phone from hospital on Wednesday, February 4, but has not yet entered a plea to a charge of capturing intimate visual data.
Police allege that on January 7, Ghazi entered the bathroom and placed a small camera under the sink. The device was discovered by cleaners two weeks later and reported to authorities. Ghazi was allegedly identified through CCTV footage, and police seized several electronic devices during a search of his residence.
In court, defence lawyer Michael Kukulies-Smith said his client has multiple medical conditions, including Parkinson's disease, and requires around-the-clock care through the National Disability Insurance Scheme. He argued that Ghazi would not receive adequate care in custody and that the allegations, while concerning, did not involve any apparent nefarious use of the material.
A prosecutor opposed bail due to concerns about Ghazi's mental health. Magistrate James Lawton granted bail on condition that Ghazi not possess any covert video recording device. Police are asking anyone who used the hospital's emergency waiting room bathroom between 8:30pm and midnight on January 7 to contact Crime Stoppers.
