‘Unfair’ to put claims of assault to me now, says surgeon (86)
A RETIRED surgeon accused of groping a number of boys in his care has told a jury that it was “unfair” and “unjust” to put events which allegedly occurred decades ago to him at this stage in his life.
Michael Shine (86), of Ballsbridge, Dublin, has pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to 13 charges of indecent assault allegedly committed during medical examinations at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, Co Louth, and at two private clinics in Drogheda.
On the 15th day of the trial, Cathleen Noctor SC, prosecuting, put it to Mr Shine that a man gave evidence that in 1971 when he was aged 13 during examinations following surgery on his appendix – Mr Shine fondled his testicles and stroked his penis.
Mr Shine said that there were no medical records of the examinations occurring and said that putting alleged events from so many years ago to him at this stage in his life “is unfair, is unjust, is wrong”.
He said the reality was that if someone had surgery on their appendix, a surgeon would see them briefly to determine that they were fully recovered and “you weren’t concerned with them after that”.
Mr Shine said the allegation he masturbated a different 13-year-old patient following surgery for testicular torsion and that he only stopped when the teenager said he was unlikely to ejaculate as he had previously masturbated the night before was “unbelievable” and “shocking”.
He said the incident had absolutely never happened and said he had never discussed masturbation with a patient in his whole life.
He agreed that doing as the complainant described would have been medically inappropriate.
“It is impossible, because it never occurred,” he said.
The trial continues today before Judge Martin Nolan and a jury.