Jailed doctor denies his crimes
A doctor jailed for drugging and sexually assaulting patients continues to deny his offending and blames his ‘‘paranoid’’ victims.
David Lim, 44, was jailed for five years in 2017 after being found guilty of five charges of indecent assault and stupefying patients at his Hastings clinic.
Lim dosed four men with
asedative then sexually assaulted them by rubbing their genitals.
He had his first appearance before the New Zealand Parole Board in February. The board said Lim remained in denial of his offending and that meant progress on his rehabilitation had been problematic. He had seen a psychologist three times last year and continually denied his offending.
The psychologist noted that when asked why his victims would come forward and accuse him of indecent assault, Lim said
they were all seasonal workers for a man with whom he had a sexual relationship and they were paranoid about his sexuality.
He was served a deportation notice while in prison, meaning he will deported once he is released.
The parole board said he had family support in Malaysia and planned to retire on his return there but it held concerns about the risk he posed if released without be being rehabilitated. ‘‘We have to consider the risk to the community to which he will be deported in due course, but our view is that risk remains undue until the situation is changed with his acceptance of responsibility and at least some attempts at rehabilitation made,’’ the board said.
He was declined parole and would appear before the board again next year.
‘‘Should Mr Lim change his position regarding acceptance and responsibilities and be prepared to engage appropriate rehabilitative activity, the option of an application to bring the next hearing date forward could be entertained,’’ it said.
Born in Malaysia and trained in Scotland, Lim came to New Zealand in 2006 to work in Hawke’s Bay Hospital. He spent three years as a registrar at the hospital before working full-time at The Doctors clinic in Hastings.