Elon Musk has condemned an Australian judge’s decision to let a medical student go free after he was caught filming a woman in a public bathroom.

Bao Phuc Cao, a Vietnamese biomedicine student at the University of Melbourne, left court a free man despite filming a woman in a public toilet at a Docklands shopping centre in February 2025.

Cao had no conviction recorded for the incident and is now free to remain in Australia and pursue his dream of becoming a doctor.

Musk lashed out with a three-word demand: ‘Deport the judge.’

Cao was found with more than 100 videos on his phone, but authorities are unsure whether they are all of the same or different victims, Melbourne Magistrates Court was told on Friday.  

During sentencing, Magistrate Michelle Mykytowycz took into account the 23-year-old’s guilty plea, youth and the fact that he has no family in Australia, but described the offending as very serious and said the complainant was entitled to feel safe.

‘Your offending was not of a physical nature but of the most intimate kind in a public toilet,’ she said.

‘Court has to send a message to the community that they denounce this offending and (reinforce) the protection of women who are entitled and must feel safe in public utilities.’

Elon Musk, has criticised a decision by an Australian judge to allow a medical student who was caught filming a woman in a public restroom to avoid jail time

Bao Phuc Cao, a Vietnamese biomedicine student at the University of Melbourne, left court a free man despite filming a woman in a public toilet at a Docklands shopping centre in February 2025

Cao was sentenced to a 12-month adjourned undertaking without conviction, under which he must be of good behaviour and comply with his previous community corrections order.

The victim revealed she now fears for her safety and can no longer use public restrooms, the court was told on Friday.

The woman had gone into the public toilets at Chipmunks Playland & Cafe Docklands on February 20, 2025, and saw there was one other person in an adjoining cubicle.

As she used the toilet, she noticed an iPhone being held close to the wall near the cubicle and that it was recording.

The woman became scared and panicked at the sight of the recording, leaving the toilets to call security, who found Cao in the toilet cubicle.

Mykytowycz read the woman’s victim impact statement and described how Cao’s offending had a profound impact on the complainant.

‘She remains anxious, unsurprisingly she is hypervigilant,’ the magistrate said.

The woman’s sense of safety has been, and continues to be, affected, impacting her ability to use the restroom in the office and in public, she added.

During sentencing, Magistrate Michelle Mykytowycz took into account his guilty plea, youth and the fact that he has no family in Australia, but described the offending as very serious and said the complainant was entitled to feel safe

‘These concerns are the long-term effects of your offending,’ Mykytowycz said.

The court was told Cao’s phone used in the offending will be returned to him after police figure out how to delete all its contents.