Former doctor’s case back in court

A FORMER doctor accused of using the internet to procure children, and possessing child pornography has had his matter adjourned again in Toowoomba Magistrates Court.

Joseph Lee Smith, who has been remanded in custody since his arrest in Toowoomba in 2019, has been charged with 41 counts of grooming a child under 16, eight counts of using the internet to procure a child under 16, aggravated supply of a drug to minor, and rape.

He was not required to be in court when his case was mentioned this week, but was represented by solicitor Ryan McCullough of Toowoomba legal firm MacDonald Law.

The 48-year-old was arrested at his Toowoomba home in 2019 after police claimed he had befriended an underage boy in Victoria via Instagram before he had the boy send him images of him dancing naked.

Mr Smith is also facing 56 counts of failing to comply with reporting relating to previous convictions.

He has not been required as yet to enter any pleas to any charges.

Mr McCullough told Toowoomba Magistrates Court there had been long, ongoing case conferencing related to the case and that barrister Steve Kissick had been engaged and briefed in the matter.

Mr McCullough asked for a further adjournment so a registry committal could be done.

A registry committal is the process of taking all the charges straight up to the higher court without going through a committal hearing which may or may not require cross examination of witnesses.

Magistrate Kyna Morice therefore remanded Mr Smith in custody and adjourned the case for mention back in the same court on November 28, by which time it was envisaged the registry committal would have been completed.