Former Sydney plastic surgeon Dr Richard Paris Sackelariou has admitted to multiple child exploitation offences and expressed shame in court over the harm he caused to his victims.
According to The Daily Telegraph, the 70-year-old, who worked in Sydney and Melbourne for four decades, pleaded guilty to 10 charges involving six victims aged 13 to 15, between 2021 and 2022. The offences occurred across Sydney, Newcastle and Queensland.
Using platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram, and adult websites, Sackelariou offered money in exchange for explicit content and later arranged to meet some of the girls in person.
In Newcastle District Court, he described hearing the victims’ statements as “horrific,” saying: “I’m ashamed, I’m appalled… I created such harm and damage.”
He also acknowledged betraying his family and said he feared for his safety in custody due to the nature of his crimes. “I have betrayed my wife, broken trust with my sons,” he told the court.
Crown Prosecutor Kristy Mulley pressed Sackelariou on his repeated contact with underage girls despite having access to legal adult interactions online.
“I engaged and pursued these girls, so obviously I was attracted to them,” he admitted.
His lawyer, Philip Strickland SC, said Sackelariou had never offended before and was at low risk of doing so again, calling it an “extraordinary fall from grace.”
Sackelariou was arrested at his Vaucluse home in November 2022, where police seized devices containing explicit content and messages.
Judge Tim Gartelmann has reserved sentencing until Friday.
Source: Daily Telegraph.
