The former head of one of Western Australia's largest hospitals is facing a jail term after pleading guilty to accessing, soliciting and transmitting child abuse material.
Kempton Cowan, 56, the one-time chief executive officer of the Joondalup Health Campus, appeared in the Magistrates Court on Friday and pleaded guilty to a total of 11 charges.
He was first arrested by Australian Federal Police (AFP) in March last year after videos of girls being sexually abused were found during a search of his home in the western Perth suburb of Mosman Park.
A record was also discovered of an online request for child abuse material.
The search of Cowan's home followed a referral from Interpol about a teenager in the United Kingdom who had told police she had online communications with an Australian-based man.
Cowan was then linked to the messaging accounts that had been used.
More charges after devices examined
Cowan was the chief executive officer of the Joondalup Health Campus between 2002 and 2020.
He initially faced four charges, but in November, after a forensic examination of his electronic devices, he was charged with another nine offences.
The 11 charges he admitted today included causing child abuse material to be transmitted, soliciting child abuse material and possessing it.
Two charges were discontinued.
Each offence Cowan pleaded guilty to carries a maximum jail term of 15 years.
His bail was renewed until he faces the District Court in July to be sentenced.
