Former Child Psychiatrist Warned He Will Go to Prison After Convictions for Abusing Young Patients

A former Perth child psychiatrist has been warned that he will receive an immediate prison sentence after being convicted of sexually abusing young patients who were placed in his care.

Benjamin Wen, 52, was found guilty earlier this year of multiple offences involving children who had been patients at his practice. The Western Australian District Court heard that the offending occurred more than a decade ago.

A Doctor Who Was Trusted by Families

Wen had worked as a child psychiatrist and treated hundreds of patients during his professional career. Prosecutors told the court that his position of trust made the alleged offending particularly serious because families had relied on him to care for vulnerable children.

The court heard that Wen used what he described as medical examinations as a pretext for inappropriate contact with young patients. Prosecutors said the examinations were not medically necessary for a psychiatrist to perform.

Wen was convicted in April of several offences, including indecent dealing with a child under 13 and persistent sexual conduct with a child under 16.

Prosecutors Say His Professional Reputation Enabled the Offending

During sentencing submissions, prosecutor Tracy Tan argued that Wen’s professional reputation had helped create the circumstances in which the offending could take place.

She said his victims and their families had been affected by what prosecutors described as an abuse of trust. The court also heard that some of the children involved were neurodivergent.

Prosecutors argued that Wen had shown limited remorse and continued to maintain that some of his actions had been medically justified.

Earlier Conviction Also Raised Concerns

The court was also reminded that Wen, who was previously known as Aaron Voon, had received a suspended sentence in 2017 after being convicted over recordings made of boys in public toilets.

Following publicity surrounding that earlier case, parents of boys who had previously been patients contacted Western Australian police. Their reports contributed to the investigation that eventually led to the more serious charges now before the court.

The history has become an important part of the sentencing proceedings as the court considers the seriousness of the offending and the impact on victims.

Defence Asks for Sentence to Consider His Health

Wen’s lawyer, Patti Chong, asked the court to take his health problems into account when determining the sentence. The defence argued that his physical condition and limited mobility could make imprisonment particularly difficult.

The court heard that Wen has several medical conditions, and his lawyer argued that these circumstances should result in a significant reduction in the eventual sentence.

Prosecutors opposed giving substantial weight to those factors, arguing that Wen’s health did not outweigh the seriousness of the offences or the impact on the victims.

Immediate Prison Sentence Expected

Judge Linda Petrusa adjourned the matter after hearing the sentencing submissions. The judge indicated that the sentencing remarks would take some time and that Wen would return to court on Wednesday.

However, she gave a clear warning that an immediate term of imprisonment would be imposed.

Wen’s bail was continued until the sentencing hearing. The court will determine the length of the prison sentence after considering the offending, the harm caused to the victims, his previous history and the arguments presented by both sides.

Source: ABC News, October 5, 2026.