Kaushik Paul: Darwin hospital worker charged with multiple child abuse material offences

A man who is understood to have worked at two of the Territory’s largest hospitals has been committed to the Supreme Court and can be identified for the first time.

Kaushik Paul, 55, leaving Darwin Local Court, February 1, 2024. Picture: Alex Treacy

A Northern Territory hospital worker charged with five Commonwealth offences relating to the possession of child abuse material can be identified publicly for the first time after he was committed to the Supreme Court.

Kaushik Paul, 55, appeared in the Darwin Local Court on Thursday, accompanied by a woman whose relation to him is unknown.

He is charged with five offences relating to the access, possession and transmission of child abuse material, all of which are Commonwealth offences.

The prosecution alleges the offences were committed between August 4, 2019 and November 15, 2022 at locations including Darwin and Coconut Grove.

Charges of importing Tier 2 goods under the Customs Act 1901 (Cth) were discontinued by the prosecution.

Defence lawyer Matt Hubber conceded there was a prima facie case, with the matters being committed to the Supreme Court.

Mr Paul entered no pleas to the charges, nor was he required to.

He will next appear in the Supreme Court on March 14 for case management.

According to Mr Paul’s social media profile, he moved to Darwin in April 2021 from Melbourne, where he studied at the University of Melbourne.

He says that, since relocating, he has worked as an instrument technician at the Royal Darwin Hospital and an operating theatre assistant at the Darwin Private Hospital.

It was not immediately clear whether he remained employed at either facility.

His profile also says he was employed as an instrument technician at two Melbourne health facilities prior to his relocation north, Waverley Private Hospital and The Alfred.