A former Perth Children's Hospital (PCH) nurse produced dozens of child exploitation videos featuring children as young as four and filmed students on their way to school for sexual gratification, the District Court in Perth has been told.
Warning: This story contains details which will be distressing for some readers.
PCH says there was no evidence any children in his care at the hospital were victims.
Peter James De Mouilpied pleaded guilty on Friday to 14 charges relating to the production of child exploitation videos and indecent dealing with children.
Between November 30, 2020, and August, 2021, the nurse accessed an illegal chat site that allowed him to connect with children over web cameras.
He encouraged some to perform sexual acts while he masturbated and filmed himself and them on screen.
The court heard the children could see him while he masturbated.
In one — which the court heard was the most serious — a child as young as four was raped by a man while De Mouilpied watched.
In addition, the court heard De Mouilpied lived across the road from a Perth high school and, in August 2021, filmed himself on five separate occasions standing at his front window and masturbating as children walked past his home.
The court heard he was seen by at least three children while committing the sexual acts.
He was reported to police, who when they raided his home and found 54 videos De Mouilpied made that included his acts with children on web cameras, and a further eight that included sex acts in front of the school children.
Judge rejects defence 'cry for help' claim
De Mouilpied's lawyer, Chris Townsend, submitted that his client's work, as both a former police officer and paediatric nurse, had caused him trauma that dulled his reaction to extreme material.
He said his client engaged in increasingly riskier behaviour because he wanted to get caught and it was "a clear cry for help".
However, Judge Carmel Barbagello queried this, referring to a psychiatric report that found De Mouilpied engaged in risky behaviour because it heightened his sexual excitement.
"He found it stimulating, arousing," Judge Barbagello said.
"Dressing it up as a cry for help … there were a lot of factors impacting his life but I don't get a cry for help.
"This was risk-taking behaviour your client engaged in because he enjoyed it."
The report said De Mouilpied usually engaged in the behaviour "after a stressful shift or when he was bored".
Mr Townsend also submitted his client had no criminal record and was of good character, relying on a statement from his mother and an old friend.
De Mouilpied's elderly mother and father sat in the public gallery of the court as the charges were detailed.
The court heard De Mouilpied had moved away from the school where the offending had occurred.
His registration as a nurse has been suspended by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
A former police officer, De Mouilpied has also pleaded guilty in the Magistrates Court to charge of stealing a police uniform, stealing as a servant, and possession of cannabis.
He is due to be sentenced on those charges next month.
Harm to children 'widespread'
Prosecutor Denae Aldous asked for an immediate jail term to be imposed, saying there was a need for general deterrence and that each offence formed a pattern of behaviour that occurred over eight months.
She said on the 54 web camera videos seized, there were one or more children exploited each time.
"Given the number of children involved, the harm was widespread," Ms Aldous said.
She said the children on the web cameras appeared to be pre-teen or in their early teenage years, and — in at least one recording — De Mouilpied recorded himself asking the child's age, which was given as 11.
"The state would say it was obvious the children were under 16," she said.
Mr Townsend submitted that some of the offending involving children on a live web camera was at the lower end of the scale because he was not engaging in the sexual acts with them in the same room.
Hospital says no evidence of offences against patients
The ABC understands De Mouilpied worked in the operating theatre at Perth Children's Hospital.
He is believed to have worked for the Child and Adolescent Health Service for more than 10 years at Princess Margaret Hospital prior to the PCH being built.
Prior to that, he was with WA Police, the court was told.
The ABC has asked the Perth Children's Hospital what, if any, steps have been taken to inform parents whose children may have come into contact with De Mouilpied.
Child and Adolescent Health Service chief executive Dr Aresh Anwar said there was no evidence any child in the hospital's care had been involved in the matter.
"The Child and Adolescent Health Service (CAHS) is aware of the matter, and of the distress which it will have caused those directly involved," a statement from Dr Anwar said.
"As the chief executive, and as a parent, I am appalled at hearing additional details of the charges today.
“While we do not ordinarily comment on confidential matters relating to our employees, it is critical that the community is aware of our immediate response related to this case.
“When we became aware of the charges, this employee was immediately suspended without pay.
“Soon after, in line with section 22 of the Working with Children (Criminal Record Checking) Act 2004, CAHS ceased the employment of the individual with immediate effect."
“I would also like to provide the community with the reassurance that there is absolutely no evidence to suggest that any child in our care was involved in this matter.
The ABC asked the WA Department of Health whether the man could be re-employed as a health worker at any point.
"The Department of Health has systems and processes in place to ensure the protection of the WA public health system and patient safety," a spokeswoman said.
"A pre-employment Integrity Check (PEIC) would identify the individual if they were to seek re-employment within the public health system and alert the relevant Health Service Provider."
De Mouilpied returns to the District Court on Monday where he is expected to be sentenced.
