GP finally admits to sex abuse

A Christchurch doctor jailed for groping or fondling men during medical examinations has admitted indecently assaulting two more patients.

Rakesh Kumar Chawdhry, 62, was in February jailed for four years and three months after a judge found him guilty of 11 charges of indecent assault and one of sexual violation against patients. During Chawdhry’s trial last year, several more complainants came forward after seeing media coverage and, as a result, police could lay the two new indecent assault charges, Detective Marc Boodee said.

Chawdhry appeared from prison via AVL in court on Friday, where he pleaded guilty to both.

As with the first 14 complainants, the new charges related to sexual health examinations by Chawdhry. One was at the Amberley Medical Centre in 2011 and the other at Riccarton Clinic in 2013. The victims, then aged 26 and 28, went to the centres for sexually-transmitted infection (STI) checks.

The first, Chawdhry touched, without gloves on, for 30 seconds to a minute. Chawdhry did not take a sample, nor a swab.

The patient was ‘‘concerned and upset’’, but did not come forward at the time because he feared he would not be believed, the police summary of facts says.

The second victim, Chawdhry told to lie on the bed, remove his pants and ‘‘think of his girlfriend’’. He indecently touched him for about a minute before taking a swab.

Chawdhry will be sentenced on November 6.