Physiotherapist Andrew Weinzettel filmed a female patient undressing at a western Sydney clinic
A peeping Tom physiotherapist has faced court almost 12 months after a hidden camera was found at a western Sydney clinic, where he filmed a female patient undressing.
Liverpool
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A physiotherapist suspended from practising after he secretly filmed a female patient at a western Sydney clinic will learn his fate next week.
Andrew Weinzettel, 53, handed himself in to police last year after a hidden camera was found at the clinic, which cannot be named for legal reasons.
In August, Weinzettel pleaded guilty to seven counts of filming a person’s private parts without consent.
Memory cards seized by police contained footage of an unknown woman undressing in the bathroom of the clinic, as well as video of another woman undressing in bathrooms at Weinzettel’s home.
Police were called to the clinic on November 12, 2018 after “a covert camera that looked exactly like a white clothes hook that would be hung on a wall” was discovered, according to a police fact sheet.
“On the front of the hook was a small black hole only slightly larger than a pin head can be seen,” it stated.
Weinzettel was today supported by his wife at Liverpool Local Court, where Magistrate Fiona McCarron stood the matter down for further consideration. He will be sentenced on Monday.
In his submissions, Weinzettel’s barrister Bart Vasic argued his client had found himself “in court for the first time” and had a “vast bank of good character to call upon”.
Mr Vasic said his client had co-operated with police, turning himself in when the camera was discovered and directing investigators to the location of several memory cards at his Cecil Hills home.
“The consequences of his own offending have been significant,” Mr Vasic said.
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The court heard Weinzettel’s wife of “20 or so years” was “struggling” with the consequences of his actions and his “image as a father” to their three daughters was “gone”.
Weinzettel was now working as a labourer, the only employment he could find, Mr Vasic said.
The court also heard Weinzettel was seeing a treating psychologist and felt “shame, guilt and sorrow” for the people he had hurt.
Mr Vasic said his client “still has some way to re-establish himself as a law-abiding member of the community” and that he “desperately wants to keep” paying his “debt to society”.
Weinzettel will be sentenced at Liverpool Local Court on Monday.