Doctor struck off register after indecently assaulting impaired patient

Stephen Dawson pictured in the Timaru District Court. Photo / ODT

A former Oamaru doctor who indecently assaulted an intellectually disabled patient has been struck off the medical practitioner register and ordered to pay $3,240.

The Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal has censured Stephen James Dawson and cancelled his registration as a medical practitioner.

The Tribunal imposed two conditions Dawson must meet if he ever wishes to again apply for registration as a medical practitioner.

One of which was that he would undertake at his own cost a sexual misconduct assessment test arranged in conjunction with the Medical Council of New Zealand.

The Tribunal also imposed two conditions which would apply for a period of three years if he did return to practise.

The decision comes after Dawson was sentenced to nine months' home detention - which he completed in May 2019.

He had pleaded guilty to representative charges of indecent assault and doing an indecent act with a person with significant impairment.

The Tribunal decision said Dawson accepted the convictions were likely to "bring discredit" to the medical profession and "reflected adversely on his fitness to practise medicine".

His offending was outlined in the court proceedings last year.

On several occasions between March 10, 2008, and July 14, 2016, the victim saw Dawson as a patient without her mother present.

On one occasion Dawson indecently touched her breasts, an act that was not part of a legitimate medical examination, and commented that she had "nice breasts''.

During a February, 2009, appointment he took at least 18 photographs and two short videos of the victim while she was topless, again unrelated to an examination.

Dawson later downloaded the material on to a disc, which he stored at his home.

In April 2015, he touched the victim's breasts over her togs while in a spa pool with her at his Wanaka apartment, before she asked him to stop.

In November, 2015 he messaged the victim through Facebook and offered her $1000 for a "very long cuddle''.

The next year Dawson visited the victim at her home while her mother was in hospital, where he put his arms around her waist and told her he wished she was his girlfriend.

The court heard the victim did not want to touch Dawson or have him touch her, but felt she had to because he was her doctor.

On August 18, 2016, Dawson emailed the victim's mother, asking if she would let him "bed'' the victim.

Two further emails, sent on the same day invited the victim for a "gentle bonk'', and asked the victim's mother if her daughter "would come to my bed''.

He also sent a message accompanied by a photograph of the victim wearing a bra to her mother on September 1, 2016, which said "I do take risks, here is your daughter looking awesome''.

The matter was then reported to police.