Chaperone for dentist who ‘groped her female colleague’
A FEMALE dentist has been told she must work with a chaperone after allegedly groping a colleague’s breasts and bottom.
Aviva Riley, a partner at the Fourways Dental Practice in Borough Green, Kent, faces a criminal trial for sexual assault this month.
The 46-year-old, who has been a dentist for 20 years, appeared before the General Dental Council on February 21 over the claims.
In its ruling, published this week, the body imposed 12 conditions on Riley – including that she have a work chaperone with her at all times when ‘practice staff or the public are present’ – for the next 18 months.
The dentist, of Tunbridge Wells, is accused of molesting one colleague in November 2016 and of sexually assaulting another co-worker, who has since left the practice.
The GDC ruling states: ‘A complaint was received on 16 November 2017 from a colleague, who alleges that on two occasions during November 2016 you sexually assaulted her.
‘In particular she alleged that you touched her breasts on one occasion and groped her right buttock on the other occasion.
‘Information received confirms that you have now been charged in connection with three alleged incidents of sexual assault.
‘You have been given bail conditions by the magistrates’ court, which include a requirement that you are not to have any unsupervised contact with the complainant in respect of two of the alleged incidents.’
Shaun Round, of the GDC, alleged that Riley had breached these bail conditions after ‘continuing to intimidate and harass’ one of the complainants, who still works at the practice.
In her defence, Riley ‘strongly denied’ the claims, adding that the charges had been ‘trumped up’, although she ‘accepted’ that on one occasion there had been ‘some physical contact’ with a complainant. Her advocate, however, said the contact was in ‘the context of a discussion about bra sizes and was not sexually motivated’.
Noting that Riley had been charged and is due to appear at Crown Court this month, the GDC ruled: ‘The committee has determined to impose an interim order of conditions on your registration for a period of 18 months.’
Under the conditions, she must also alert the GDC to ‘significant developments in the ongoing criminal proceedings’.
Riley is described as a ‘warm and gentle clinician’ with a ‘flair for oral surgery’ on the practice website. Kent Police confirmed she had been charged.