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Allegations of Sexual
Abuse in NZ |
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Disgraced New Plymouth doctor
Hiran Fernando, jailed last month for sex offending against his patients, has
lodged an appeal against his conviction. Fernando (58) has spent the past
month behind bars after he was sentenced to three years and two months'
prison on 26 charges of indecently assaulting 10 women patients. On Wednesday, Fernando's legal
team lodged the appeal, 28 days after he was sentenced in the High Court at
New Plymouth. Fernando has continually denied
his offending and at the time of his sentencing his lawyers said he would be
appealing the conviction. At sentencing, his lawyer, Harry
Waalkens QC, had asked that Fernando be bailed until the appeal. Justice John Priestley declined
the bail application. Yesterday, lawyer Susan Hughes,
also acting for Fernando, said she did not know how long the appeal process
would take. The Court of Appeal in Wellington
would allocate a hearing date, probably some time early next year. If the appeal was successful there
could be a re-trial. Fernando was found guilty of the
sexual assaults after a month-long jury trial in New Plymouth. At his sentencing, Justice
Priestley said his continued denial of guilt was distressing to many of the
victims. "Significantly, you denied
your offending to the probation officer and stated to her that you saw
yourself as the victim of women who may have been used by organisations of
midwives and abuse counsellors to discredit and punish you," Justice
Priestley said during sentencing. |
