CHILD ABUSE PICS DOCTOR ’HOARDED PATIENT IMAGES’
Medic accused of collecting pictures from Scots’ private medical files on his laptop
A DOCTOR who hoarded thousands of child abuse images has been accused of collecting pictures taken from Scots’ private medical files on his personal laptop.
Ghai Xiong Chong was jailed last year after telling cops his “porn addiction” was to blame for him downloading more than 3000 child abuse images while working at an English hospital.
Now he is set to face a medical watchdog over fresh claims he stored pics from confidential medical files on his own computer without permission from NHS Lothian two years ago. The 30-year-old, who qualified as a doctor at the University of Edinburgh in 2017, faces being struck off by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS).
The MPTS said: “The tribunal will inquire into the allegation that, on or around 4 November, 2019, Dr Chong inappropriately stored photographs of confidential identifiable patient medical records on his personal laptop without permission or authorisation from NHS Lothian and/or a legitimate reason.”
The tribunal will also consider details of Chong’s previous conviction.
The medic, originally from Malaysia, was jailed for six months at Hull Crown Court in November last year after police raided his home and seized a laptop and hard drive in 2019 – when he was working in the acute medical unit at Hull Royal Infirmary.
An examination uncovered a huge number of images, including one vile video showing the rape of a child by an adult. Charlotte Baines, prosecuting, said Chong was suspended as soon as he was arrested.
The court heard he admitted to police: “It’s all my fault. I’m addicted to porn and have been for years.” The doctor’s lawyer James Bonarten said “isolated”
Chong has already reached out for help to address his offending.
He said he was sent to the UK to get an education but had lost his right to remain in the UK.
Judge David Tremberg said Chong’s offending happened “against a background of low self-esteem and self-isolation”.
He sentenced him to six months’ imprisonment for three counts of making indecent images and one of possessing a prohibited image.
He said: “You spent many years qualifying as a doctor and you know that is a profession the public put their trust into for their welfare and the welfare of their families, parents and children. Your offending is a serious example of its type.”
Chong was also made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for seven years and must sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for that period.
The General Medical Council suspended Chong’s license to practise in June this year.
The MPTS will examine his case next week. Tracey Gillies, executive medical director at NHS Lothian, said: “We do not comment on individual members of staff even after they have left our employ. However, we take the security of information and confidentiality of medical records very seriously.”