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Allegations of Sexual
Abuse in NZ |
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New Plymouth doctor Hiran Fernando
has been found guilty of 26 charges involving sexual abuse of his patients. The jury in the High Court in New
Plymouth returned with its verdicts at 3pm today after deliberating since
midday Tuesday. Judge John Priestley lifted the
suppression order on Fernando's name, which had been imposed when he was
charged early last year. Fernando has been released on bail until his
sentencing. The doctor faced 34 charges of
indecent assault and three of sexual violation against 12 female patients.
The charges span a 21-year period from 1981. The jury acquitted him on the
three sexual violation charges. Fernando's trial lasted one day
short of five weeks. During the trial, complainants
told of the doctor playing with their nipples, giving unnecessary vaginal
examinations and asking questions about their sex lives. In his own evidence, the doctor
told the court he had legitimate reasons for the examinations and his actions
must have been misunderstood. The Medical Council of New Zealand
said the actions of Dr Fernando were totally unacceptable. "The council is able to
suspend a doctor's practising certificate, where the council has reason to
believe that the doctor has been involved in behaviour that casts doubt on
the appropriateness of the doctor's conduct. "This is through section 69
of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 (the Act)." The council said that if a doctor
was convicted of a criminal offence that related to patients, it would
initiate its own investigation into the appropriateness of the doctor's
behaviour or conduct under the Act. The doctor would then go to a
professional conduct committee for an assessment. |
