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A former doctor has abandoned his bid to keep his name suppressed after being struck off the medical register over allegations of paying a patient for sex.
Defence counsel Stephen Hembrow told Judge Michael Green in Christchurch District Court today that Dhammika Pradeepa Dassanayake sought leave to "withdraw and abandon the appeal".
He said the Medical Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal had been advised earlier, and Judge Green made no order for costs.
The tribunal found him guilty and struck him off, ordered him to pay $5000 towards the costs of the tribunal and ordered publication of his name. He appealed only the publication order to the district court.
The charge alleged that the doctor had sex with a patient, paid money for sexual services from her, improperly provided her with prescription drugs, and gave her advice on how to prepare a lethal dose of medication for her to use as a suicide tool.
It also alleged he paid her not to attend an interview with the Health and Disability Commissioner in 2003.
After the hearing today, Dassanayake appealed to the media to leave his children alone now that his name is public.
"They have nothing to do with any of this," he said.
He issued a statement saying: "Despite a finding against me in some of the disciplinary tribunal hearing's charges, I would like to advise that I continue to maintain my innocence in these matters.
"I have decided against continuing to pursue name suppression as clearly there is a view that such matters are to be open and available for public scrutiny, so I have withdrawn further action in that regards.
"I am very hopeful that all parties involved in these matters can now move on, and that I can be allowed to do the same."
- NZPA
