UPDATE: Former Perth child psychiatrist sentenced to more than 10 years

Former Perth child psychiatrist Benjamin Wen, 52, formerly known as Aaron Voon, has been sentenced to 10 years and 6 months in prison for sexually abusing young patients at his clinic in Perth's south. He must serve eight years and six months before becoming eligible for parole.

The offending occurred between 2012 and 2016 at Wen's Cockburn clinic, where he touched boys' privates under the guise of conducting what he described as routine "puberty checks". Wen was found guilty in April of multiple offences, including indecent dealing with a child under 13 and persistent sexual conduct with a child under 16.

The court heard the victims were children who had been placed in Wen's care because they needed psychiatric support, including neurodivergent patients.

A breach of trust at the highest level

In sentencing, Judge Linda Petrusa described Wen's breach of trust as being at the highest level, saying he had exploited children who were vulnerable and had come to him for help.

Nine victim impact statements from former patients and their parents were before the court.

The first case: filming boys in public toilets

Wen's history had already attracted serious scrutiny before these convictions.

In 2017, when he was still known as Aaron Voon, he received a suspended prison sentence for making videos of boys urinating in public toilets in Perth, San Francisco, Queenstown in New Zealand and Edmonton in Canada.

Publicity surrounding that case prompted parents of some former patients to contact WA Police, eventually leading to the investigation into his conduct as a psychiatrist.

When police searched Voon's home and practice in 2016, WA Police publicly stated that no link had been established between the material located on his devices and the children he treated professionally. At that stage, the evidence before authorities related principally to the covert recordings made in public toilets.

Voon voluntarily undertook not to practise medicine while the Medical Board and Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency considered his position. His Cockburn Central practice closed.

By December 2021, specialist child sex abuse officers had charged the man now known as Benjamin Wen after receiving information about his conduct at work between 2012 and 2016.

Health and mobility arguments

During sentencing submissions this week, Wen's lawyer argued his significant health and mobility issues would make prison substantially more difficult for him.

The court nevertheless imposed an immediate custodial sentence of more than a decade.

A major chapter closes

The sentence now closes a major chapter in a case spanning years of investigation and court proceedings.

Wen occupied one of the highest trust positions imaginable: a medical specialist treating children with developmental and mental health needs.

Prosecutors say that very professional trust enabled the offending.

And when the people being treated are children (particularly children who may have communication, developmental or social difficulties) the line between a legitimate clinical examination and an abuse of authority can be extraordinarily difficult for families to recognise in real time.