Liam Shane Scott

Findings — machine-extracted (anthropic-batch:claude-opus-4-8); verify against the decision

Liam Shane Scott, admitted in 1996 but not holding a practising certificate since 2010, was convicted in May 2022 of 15 serious offences involving possession and making of child exploitation material, using a carriage service to access CEM, and 11 counts of recording others' genitalia in breach of privacy using hidden cameras in his home, including recording his partner's 13-14 year old relative. He was sentenced to two years' imprisonment suspended after four months plus probation. The QCAT, on agreed submissions, characterised his conduct as professional misconduct under s 419(1)(b) LPA and recommended his name be removed from the local roll, finding suspension insufficient given the sophistication, premeditation, abuse of trust and defects of character. No express finding of dishonesty was made. Costs ordered against the respondent on the standard basis; no specific amount stated.

Duties found breached:

• Personal probity and fitness to practise

Aggravating factors:

• Offending occurred over more than five years
• Degree of sophistication and premeditation
• Abuse of position of trust including recording a 13-14 year old relative of his partner
• 15 recorded convictions attracting actual terms of imprisonment
• Offending caused devastating and ongoing adverse impact on victims

Mitigating factors:

• Early plea of guilty and earliest possible acknowledgement of wrongdoing
• Cooperation with the Tribunal and disposal on the papers
• Demonstrated shame, remorse and insight
• Engaged consistently and positively with psychological therapy
• Assessed as low to moderate risk of reoffending
• No prior criminal history
• Positive character references and community contribution