Lake Alice Hospital: Former lead psychiatrist and accused Dr Selwyn Leeks dies aged 92

By RNZ

A former lead psychiatrist at Lake Alice hospital - who was accused of torturing children at the facility in the 1970s - has died.

Dr Selwyn Leeks was 92.

Leeks was accused of using electric shocks and paralysing drugs to punish patients at the Lake Alice child and adolescent unit, which operated near Marton.

The Royal Commission of Inquiry into abuse in state care last year heard testimony about this from former patients, as well as sexual assaults and rapes by staff members and other patients, but Leeks never faced charges after police investigations in the late 1970s and early 2000s.

This prompted the United Nations to rule New Zealand was in breach of the Convention against Torture.

A third police investigation last year found enough evidence to prosecute Leeks, but because of poor health he was ruled unfit to stand trial.

He lived in Australia from the late 1970s and died on January 6.

A Facebook post from one of his sons said the father of seven and grandfather of 18 died surrounded by family after a "long, stoic fight".

Charges of ill-treating children have been laid against an 89-year-old former Lake Alice staff member, John Corkran.

He has pleaded not guilty.

The Lake Alice psychiatric hospital. Photo / Public domain / Pawful