Update, 24 June 2008: the Herald Sun today revealed the doctor’s attempt to sell his Toorak home until the sale was restrained by police, and that Slater & Gordon are suing the Medical Board for damages on behalf of the doctor’s victims. Should be interesting. People will be suing the Law Institute next for not rubbing out with sufficient vigor dodgy solicitors who then go on to rip them off.
The dermatologist does not necessarily spring to mind as the specialist with the opportunity to rape patients after getting them starkers and photographing them without their consent with his mobile phone, while ‘panting’ with excitement. This one managed it, and sexually assaulted or digitally raped his patients, 14 of them. He survived 2 complaints to the Medical Board by deliberately deceiving it, but continued to offend. The Board has apologised to his victims, is reviewing other cases, and has revealed that the relationship between the police and the Board broke down so badly that the police turned up with a search warrant. There are suggestions of mental health issues by his relatives. He hired a female QC to defend him against the female prosecutrix, and his own counsel described him to the court as a nerd:
‘She said he had trouble relating to women because of his strict Pentecostal upbringing. He had had only one serious relationship at 21. It had ended badly and had devastated him.
Ms Dixon said Tong had focused solely on study from the time he left high school in 1984 until he became a registered dermatologist in 2001.
“I suppose he could be described as somewhat of a nerd in his approach to life,” she told the court.’
I sometimes wonder whether counsel have instructions to make these kind of comments, whether express or implied.
