Doctor perving on workcover patient.

Perving doctor jailed
Article from: Sunday Mail (SA)


August 26, 2007 12:15am

THE victim of a perverted doctor who used a hidden camera to take illicit photographs of his female patients has spoken of her trauma.
The doctor, who cannot be named by order of the court, was this week sentenced to two years' jail with a 14-month non-parole period.

Police began investigating the man, who practised at a clinic in Adelaide's northeast, after a female patient noticed a flash go off during treatment. She told police she believed a camera had been strapped to the GP's elbow.

Police at the time said they had taken statements from six women during their investigations after searching the files on the doctor's computer.

He pleaded guilty to 13 charges of indecent behaviour and two charges of indecent assault.

Court documents show the doctor took photographs of his patients on 10 separate days between January and September 2005.

The woman said she discovered she was among the victims when she was contacted by detectives.

"I felt unbelievably numb and was hoping it was just a dream," she said.

"My husband was physically sick after viewing the photographs." She said she first visited the doctor in July 2005 after a work injury four years earlier left her with severe back pain.

"The WorkCover system was less than ideal; I had also encountered some unsympathetic doctors and surgeons during this period, and was feeling depressed and helpless," the woman said.

"So you can imagine I was in great expectation of the treatments from this doctor."

She said the man's actions had had far-reaching effects on the friends and families of all his victims.

"I have since been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and to this day have a fear of cameras," she said.

"In February 2006 I discovered I had breast cancer and spent the next 10 months fighting that battle.

"My teenage daughter with a normal teenage attitude became angry and withdrawn.

"She has since decided to leave home.

"We sold the family business last year because we just had too much to worry about.

"Victims I have met recently have similar stories to tell, such as relationship breakdowns, depression, embarrassment and coping with relatives that have wanted to take the law into their own hands.

"So, I guess you can see that this doctor's behaviour has had a wide and varied impact on not only us victims, but our extended families also."

At this week's sentencing, the woman said she saw the impact first hand.

"Now that I've had a chance to meet with and get to know some of the other victims, and their families, I'm only just beginning to absorb the magnitude of the trail of devastation this man's behaviour has left behind," she said.

"As I sat in the courtroom listening to the summation, I studied the faces around me all here today hoping justice would be done.

"I thought how old and grey my parents looked sitting beside me in support.

"The lady sitting next to me – another victim's mother – was fidgety and flushed with her Ventolin puffer in hand.

"My husband's face was sallow and drawn, his eyes welled with tears.

"A young expectant couple sat behind me in stunned silence with the saddest empty eyes I've ever seen.

"Another traumatised victim near me had deep lines across her forehead from frowning and I could see her clenching her jaw.

"For almost two years we have all suffered in some way or another from this man's actions."