Perth doctor arrested thanks to help of ‘vigilante’ paedophile hunter, court told
Perth pediatrician Chia Saw, who was arrested and charged with alleged child sexual conduct, was set up by police thanks to a “vigilante” pedophile hunter, a court heard.
Saw, 41, was arrested last month and charged with multiple counts of improper trafficking and improper registration of children, some of whom were allegedly his patients. He was also accused of sexual intercourse with a child under 16.
On Friday Saw once again applied for bail while his charges were pending in the courts, but this application was once again postponed without a decision.
But as the judge weighed his decision, more information emerged about the allegations against Saw.
Saw’s defense lawyer, Alex Smith, told Perth Magistrates’ Court that although police claimed he was interested in a child while at school, he actually became involved with what he called an “unlawful pedophile predator” who pretended to be a child.
It was alleged that this person, who was neither a police officer nor a police employee, had more than one meeting with Saw under the identity of a child. These conversations were allegedly later passed on to the police as potential evidence against him.
“This is a person who doesn’t exist,” Smith said.
“They created an account on some kind of social media application and chatted with the defendant, introduced himself as a child and participated in this conversation.
“This third party gave these messages to the police.”
However, Smith acknowledged that Saw’s alleged communication with a separate child who was ill was “unprofessional”. She also claimed that she became engaged to Saw because he was “an extremely troubled teenager who was in the Ministry’s custody.” [of Communities]. [Saw had] He was concerned for her well-being and wanted to develop a rapport.”
One of Saw’s messages to a boy said: “I saw you waiting outside school today… have a nice weekend.”
While Saw’s bail application was postponed for another week while a report was prepared to measure his suitability for home detention with an ankle monitor, prosecutors said five more charges were to come and added that six or seven complainants were likely to be questioned by police.
“This is a complex and ongoing investigation,” they said.
The court heard Saw’s wife, a GP, would move out of the family home with their two young daughters if she was granted bail.
“While these charges are serious and are viewed with abhorrence by society at large, they are allegations at the moment,” the judge said.
Saw will appear in court on July 10 to hear the outcome of his bail application.
