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Allegations of Sexual
Abuse in NZ |
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The High Court at New Plymouth
yesterday heard from a former receptionist of the New Plymouth doctor accused
of 37 sexual assault charges. The woman was the doctor's
part-time receptionist from September 1992 until January 2004. The Crown witness recalled seeing
one of the complainants after a consultation where the doctor is alleged to
have touched her breast. "She did not seem to act or
be her normal self," she said. "She was (usually) a very vital,
outgoing and bubbly sort of person . . . but she was very subdued." The woman explained appointment
booking and arrival procedures at a clinic she described as quite busy. Under cross-examination from
defence counsel Susan Hughes, she said a nurse at the surgery was encouraged
to train to perform cervical smears as soon as the law allowed her to. "He is very kind and
accommodating, hard-working and I have got an affection for him," the
woman said of the doctor. The doctor has denied the charges
made by 12 women dating from 1981 to 2002. Earlier, the court heard from the
ex-husband of a complainant who gave evidence on Monday and who returned to
the doctor another 48 times after her alleged incident. When his then-wife told him about
it, he took it with a grain of salt, the Crown witness said. "I said if she wasn't happy
with (the doctor), she should change doctors." The man agreed his ex-wife was
"a bit of a drama queen" and liked going to health people. When asked by Ms Hughes for his
opinion, he replied: "As long as I didn't have to go, I didn't
care." The doctor had taken care of him
for many years and still treated his elderly mother, the man said. Ms Hughes
asked if he had been pleased with that care. "Yes – but he charges like a
wounded bull," the man said. "You should try
lawyers," Ms Hughes replied. For most of the day, however, the
microscope was on a complainant who laid five charges – four of indecent
assault and one of digital penetration. Now 55, the woman consulted the
doctor between 1995 and 2002. Three of her complaints related to
breast examinations, one to a lung examination and another to a smear test. She told the court that, on one
occasion, she was made to lift her top before the doctor put his hands on her
breasts and moved them in a circular motion. "I just rolled my eyes and
thought, `let me out of here'," she said. "I don't think he would
have found a lump if there had been one there." Subsequent breast examinations
from other doctors were different, she said. Under cross-examination from Harry
Waalkens, QC, the woman denied she had mentioned sternum pain. "You were confused, not
really knowing what he was doing." The woman said she was confused
because she could not imagine the doctor finding a lump if there was one. Mr Waalkens put it to the woman
that she had no difficulty making complaints or standing up for her rights. She had made an unfair dismissal
complaint against an employer and also complained in 2000 about the treatment
she received from another doctor. At none of these times did she complain
about the accused. The Crown case is expected to
conclude tomorrow, with the defence case opening on Monday. |
