Melbourne, June 24: THE former head doctor of a South African AIDS treatment centre has denied allegations he sexually assaulted a gay patient at a Brisbane clinic.
The 58-year-old doctor, who cannot be identified, was arrested yesterday after a 22-year-old patient complained to police he had been touched inappropriately during a physical examination.
The doctor was charged with one count of sexual assault and appeared in the Brisbane Magistrates Court today afternoon where he applied for bail.
The court was told the patient attended the doctor’s clinic on Brisbane’s southside on a number of occasions, seeking treatment for significant weight loss, constant diarrhoea and lack of energy.
When the doctor learned the patient was a homosexual man who practised unsafe sex, he ordered a number of tests – including for HIV and AIDS – and asked him in detail about his sexual behaviour, the court was told.
The doctor had serious concerns about the patient’s health, based on his 10 years’ experience working in a HIV and AIDS clinic in South Africa, it was told.
On his third visit to the clinic, the doctor conducted a physical examination of the patient’s genitals.
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NEWS.com.au, 18 Nov 2008 It’s alleged it was during this examination that the doctor pulled down the patient’s pants without warning and stroked the patient’s penis.
It’s also alleged the doctor rubbed the patient’s chest and buttocks on a previous visit.
Defence lawyer Brendan Ryan told the court the allegations against his client were “all untrue” and that the doctor had simply been carrying out appropriate tests for sexually transmitted and other diseases.
The doctor was granted bail on the condition he have no contact with the patient.
The matter is due to be mentioned in court again in August.
–Agencies