Doctor found not guilty of sexually assaulting a patient during medical examination
The jury of five men and seven women returned a majority not guilty verdict.
A male doctor who was alleged to have sexually assaulted a female patient during a medical examination has been found not guilty.
The jury of five men and seven women returned a majority not guilty verdict (10 to two) this afternoon, following a five-day trial at Waterford Circuit Criminal Court.
It was alleged by the complainant that on April 17, 2020, she attended an appointment at a medical clinic in Co. Waterford to treat pain in her foot.
After waiting in the reception, she was called into a room by the doctor and was asked to lay down on a bench so that he could inspect her foot.
The woman alleged that at this point he began rubbing her inner thigh and grabbed and squeezed her breast.
Over the course of the trial, the jury heard evidence from the complainant, her partner, her friend, the receptionist of the clinic, and investigating garda members. They were also provided with a memo of the interview that the defendant gave to gardaí following his arrest in 2020.
The complainant told the jury that after the alleged incident, the doctor said to her “well you have a warm heart anyway”, and then continued on with the examination of her foot.
The complainant's partner and friend told the jury that the complainant informed them about the alleged incident directly after leaving the clinic.
During his interview with gardaí in 2020, the defendant categorically denied the allegations made against him, saying he would not "jeopardise" his career in such "a wreckless way".
He said that he sees approximately 20 patients per day at his clinic and has no specific recollection of having an appointment with the complainant in April 2020.
On the penultimate day of the trial, the receptionist who worked at the clinic in 2020 also told the jury that she had no particular memory of the complainant appearing at the clinic on the date.
At Waterford Courthouse today, the jury deliberated for approximately three hours and 40 minutes before returning the verdict of not guilty on the single count of sexual assault.
Additional coverage of the trial is available HERE
