Adelaide doctor facing deportation to Malaysia after being convicted over child sex offences

A medical graduate who worked at the Lyell McEwin and Modbury hospitals has been jailed for child sex offences and faces deportation.

Lyell McEwin Hospital. Photo: Russell Millard

A doctor who worked at the Lyell McEwin and Modbury hospitals will be deported to Malaysia when released from prison where he is serving a sentence for child sex offences.

Shaun Albert Nicholas met a teenager and befriended her on Facebook.

During a visit to her family’s home in 2015 when the girl was 14, the man “brazenly” sexually touched the girl on four separate occasions.

The following year, he sent the girl numerous text messages via Facebook Messenger, saying he found her sexually attractive, considered her mature for her age and raised sexual topics.

At the time, he was 27 and the girl was 16.

In sentencing this month, District Court Judge Jane Schammer said the offending had a substantial impact on the girl and her family.

“She has described the trial process as being an overwhelmingly stressful and embarrassing experience for her, during which she was painted as a liar.”

In 2019, Nicholas, who is now 31, was initially sentenced to three years in prison after being found guilty of charges of indecent assault and communicating with intention of making a child amenable to sexual activity.

He successfully appealed against the conviction on the communication charge, but later pleaded guilty to it, resulting in the need for re-sentencing in the District Court.

Malaysian-born Nicholas began his medical studies in his home country before moving to Australia. He graduated from a University of Adelaide medical degree and worked at both the Lyell McEwin and Modbury hospitals before being short-listed from more than 50 applicants for a position as an anaesthetist registrar at the Royal Adelaide Hospital.

“Your arrest for this offending meant you were unable to take up that coveted position,” Judge Schammer said.

She said Nicholas would become an “unlawful non-citizen” as a result of the conviction and sentence. He faces mandatory deportation.

Modbury Hospital. Picture: Colin James

“I am informed that you do not intend to appeal that decision and are willing to co-operate with authorities to enable your swift deportation back to Malaysia once you are ultimately released from custody,” she said.

Judge Schammer said the court was yet to hear any explanation for Nicholas’ offending “and why is was that you behaved in this manner when you must have known that what you were doing was both criminally and morally wrong and in circumstances where you must have understood the ramifications of your conduct”.

She said the only appropriate penalty was a term of imprisonment and jailed Nicholas for 17 months, with a non-parole period of one year.