A renowned Perth cancer doctor has been released from prison after his arrest last week over his alleged possession of child exploitation material.
Dr Peter Charles Swift, 68, was arrested on Tuesday after police conducted a search of his multi-million dollar Dalkeith property.
Swift was the head of the nuclear medicine department at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and formerly a consultant nuclear physician at Princess Margaret Hospital.
He specialised in general nuclear medicine, positron emission tomography and nuclear medicine therapy to treat benign and malignant thyroid disease, neuroendocrine tumours and lymphoma.
He was remanded in custody after his arrest while police continued to pore through multiple devices seized at his home that they allege contained horrific videos and images of young children engaging in sexual acts with each other and adults.
During his first appearance last week, police prosecutors told the court they seized 22 devices from Swift’s home that contained videos and photos of real life and AI-generated children engaging in sexual activity.
Those devices included multiple laptops, PCs, an iPad, phones and hard drives allegedly depicting category 1 and category 2 levels of child exploitation material.
Police alleged there were AI-generated videos of children engaging in sex activity that Swift produced himself. Other videos allegedly found were of real female children under the age of 13.
Swift was charged with two counts of possessing child exploitation material and one charge of producing child exploitation material and kept in custody overnight before appearing in Perth Magistrates Court.
On Wednesday, Swift’s lawyer Henry Sklarz told the same court his client would adhere to a strict list of conditions if he were to be released on bail, and that his client was “a long and esteemed medical professional” and had “dedicated his life to the public hospital system, saving lives from cancer”.
“He received national recognition for his work and is highly respected,” Sklarz told the magistrate.
Sklarz added that Swift was a widower, the father of two adult sons and had recently retired after suffering from colon inflammation.
“I ask that he be granted bail to go home and get his affairs in order,” he said.
His home has been stripped of all devices by police, he said.
Prosecutors opposed the application, claiming there would be “significantly” more charges coming and that he would be a risk to the community.
“The offences are too serious,” he said. “There is a significant term of imprisonment would be imposed if found guilty.”
Swift’s bail application was approved with conditions that include reporting to Cottesloe Police Station once a week, surrendering his passport, no contact with children and no access to the internet unless for banking, employment or legal advice.
He had to provide a $50,000 personal undertaking and $50,000 surety.
Sklarz told waiting media outside court that Swift was “in a good frame of mind” and that it would remain to be seen as to whether he would fight be fighting charges, “based on legal advice”.
He will be back before the court on July 24.
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