Australian child psychiatrist Aaron Szen Voon was granted bail Thursday after being charged with child pornography.
Voon was arrested on Sunday, May 22, after a father allegedly caught Voon videotaping his son as the boy was using the urinal in Scotiabank Theatre at West Edmonton Mall.
The judge ordered Edmonton police to release Voon’s passport allowing him to go back to Australia under a list of conditions.
He also cannot seek, obtain or continue any employment.
Voon, who was wearing an orange jumpsuit, did not show any reaction during the proceedings. However, he thanked the judge after the decision was made. His bail comes with a $75,000 cash release. The 41-year-old child psychiatrist is charged with making and possessing child pornography as well as voyeurism.
According to the website AusCompanies, which records business registrations, Voon owns the Successful Development and Therapy Centre in Perth, Western Australia.
On Monday afternoon, the centre’s phone rang through to voicemail, which stated: “Thank you for calling the Successful Development and Therapy Centre. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the clinic will be closed indefinitely… From the staff here, we deeply apologize and wish you and your family all the very best.”
Global News was contacted by a parent who says his two children were treated by Voon.
The father said he received an email from Voon’s office stating:
“A most terrible thing has happened with me in the past week whilst overseas which I will need to manage urgently. Public information may become available as details unfold. It means that I will have to cease practice immediately indefinitely. For patients and family I am so sorry for leaving you so suddenly. I can honestly state that these issues have been TOTALLY separate from work and I have always provided you and your children with the best possible, safe and appropriate care.”
A spokesperson with Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT) said the organization was working on the case together with the EPS and the Internet Child Exploitation unit (ICE) and had also been in touch with authorities in Australia.
ALERT’s Mike Tucker said Thursday there are no other charges and no other victims at this point. He said officers are still working with Australian police on the matter.
Watch below: Global News has learned a man facing child pornography charges in Edmonton is a child psychiatrist in Australia.
He added that ICE had not investigated Voon previously.
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) was notified of the charges laid against a fellow by Edmonton police. It issued a statement Tuesday:
“The RANZCP is deeply concerned by the allegations made and are currently in communication with the appropriate authorities in Australia and Canada to ensure we obtain all the relevant information.
“Our main priority is to work closely with our membership to provide care and support to patients and their families who are affected by the immediate closure of the practice and to ensure our local members are well supported.”
Video of the confrontation between Voon and the father has been viewed more than 152,000 times on a Facebook Page called The Edmonton Crime Report. According to witnesses, Voon’s phone was allegedly ripped away from him by the father. He then passed it to his wife who allegedly saw video of their son.
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