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Allegations of Sexual
Abuse in NZ |
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A New Plymouth doctor who has been
found guilty of sexually assaulting female patients, had won awards for being
a good citizen. Fifty-eight-year-old Hiran
Fernando has been convicted of 26 charges of indecent assault. He was
acquitted on 11 charges. During the nearly five week trial
at the High Court in New Plymouth, complainants told the court Fernando gave
them unnecessary vaginal examinations and touched them inappropriately. When the verdicts were read, three
of the female jurors wept openly. Crown Solicitor Tim Brewer says it
is an especially tragic case as Fernando was awarded the New Plymouth
District Council's Citizens Award in 2003. He is also the recipient of the
highest Rotary award and is the founder of the Taranaki Multi-Ethnic
Extravangaza which attracts more than 10,000 people to the city every year. Fernando has been granted bail and
will be sentenced next month. |
