Perverted Adelaide chiropractor Peter Wayne Snodgrass jailed for 10 years for filming women, girls undressing

He used secret cameras to film hundreds of vulnerable women and girls undressing, indecently assaulted some, and blamed it on the death of his wife. Now ex-chiro Peter Snodgrass has been jailed for 10 years.

Former Adelaide chiropractor Peter Snodgrass will spend at least 10 years in jail for his vile filming of women and girls undressing at his Rostrevor practice.

• Chiropractor ‘secretly, indecently filmed women and children’
• Pervert chiro admits guilt, but identity remains suppressed
• Unmasked: Peter Snodgrass indecently filmed hundreds of clients

A perverted chiropractor who secretly filmed more than 200 of his female patients – including girls as young as 11 – will serve more than 10 years’ jail for his “voracious voyeurism”.

On Friday, the Supreme Court ordered Peter Wayne Snodgrass serve at least eight years behind bars, and undergo extensive counselling, before being considered for release.

The sentence was of only limited comfort to Snodgrass’ numerous victims.

While they were pleased their two-and-a-half-year ordeal had finally ended, they expressed concern at the ratio between Snodgrass’ offending and his sentence.

Snodgrass was jailed for 216 separate crimes – meaning his filming of vulnerable children resulted in a penalty of seven months’ jail.

One of Snodgrass’ victims speaks to the media outside the Supreme Court after the ex-chiro was jailed. Picture: AAP / Kelly Barnes

One victim, who asked to be identified as ‘Rowena’, said that was difficult to accept.

“For those children, for those parents who must feel incredibly guilty for putting them in the hands of a monster, it’s hard to comprehend,” she said.

“There’s been times in this process we’ve felt dismay, like the court process has all gone Snodgrass’ way … today did not go his way, but it still does not feel like vindication.”

Snodgrass, 52, pleaded guilty to 216 charges stemming from the secret filming of clients, as well as the indecent assault of some others, at his Rostrevor practice.

Between 2012 and 2017, he used his mobile phone, two pen cameras and a clock radio containing a camera to film women in his changeroom.

Snodgrass will spend at least eight years in jail.

On two occasions, used a handheld camera to film clients as he massaged them, claiming it was part of his “coping mechanism” following his wife’s death from cancer.

He told the court he had “just wanted to see more boobs” and was “reckless” as to the age of his victims, one of whom was just 11 years old.

Snodgrass’ victims, who “once held him in the highest of esteem”, said his behaviour subjected them to “death by a thousand cuts” into their confidence and self-worth.

Psychologists, meanwhile, dismissed Snodgrass’ “concerning” minimising of his crimes as “deceptive”.

They said his attitude was “incongruous” with the facts of his case and reflected “shame rather than guilt”, meaning he remained at significant risk of reoffending.

In sentencing, Justice Anne Bampton said Snodgrass had further demeaned his victims – some of whom were disabled – by giving their videos labels like “hot MILF” or “14 and hot”.

She said Snodgrass was not a paedophile, but was so consumed with seeing female breasts that he was “reckless” as to the age of his victims.

“Your conduct was persistent and voracious voyeurism,” she said.

“Your insatiable desire for breasts (caused you to) transgress personal and professional boundaries.

“This was a gross invasion of privacy and dignity.”

She said Snodgrass deserved the longer-than-normal non-parole period, as he was clearly a serious repeat offender.

“Many people who appear before these courts have endured trauma and horrific life experiences which, like yours, may explain but do not excuse their offending,” she said.

Outside court, ‘Rowena’ said the effects of Snodgrass’ crimes had never stopped affecting her and the other victims, sometimes in unexpected ways.

“When it first happens and you tell people, they’re horrified … but they very quickly forget, which is understandable,” she said.

“It gets very difficult to just live your normal life, and people don’t always think of the fact you’re still trying to deal with this.

“I don’t think I will ever forget, but I feel like I really get to properly move on now … I will always have triggers and memories, but I’ll no longer have Snodgrass as the reason for not doing the things I want to do.”