‘Mr Darcy’ medic: I was naive to start an affair with a patient
‘Had opportunities to stop’
A psychologist who compared himself to Mr Darcy in racy emails to a patient admitted he was ‘naive and reckless’ in embarking on a relationship, a tribunal has heard.
Markus themessl-huber likened himself to the heartthrob from Jane Austen’s pride and prejudice and film star humphrey Bogart as he romanced the troubled woman.
the Dundee-based Nhs worker sent her hundreds of sordid emails and asked for her to be discharged from his care so they could consummate their relationship.
the married father submitted false timesheets to Nhs tayside while concealing his time spent out of the office with the woman, the health and care professions tribunal service was told.
he began holding her hand and rubbing her arms during therapy sessions, and even let her sit on his lap, the hearing heard.
giving evidence, themesslhuber said: ‘i felt it was crossing a boundary in a planned fashion. i find it astounding i could be so naive and reckless in taking this risk. it was a gradual process. i was aware i cared for her, i wanted to help her. she explained she found it difficult to trust men.’
themessl-huber set up a ‘fake date’ scenario with the vulnerable patient, known as patient A, to try to improve her confidence with men, the tribunal heard.
he said: ‘Afterwards i could not fathom what went on with me. i never saw myself as this person… taking so many risks for patient A’s well-being.
‘looking back it was ludicrous. it’s so hard to see what was going on in my mind. it is disgusting.’
After hundreds of erotic emails in late 2015, they planned for her discharge from his care, and themessl-huber admitted that the discharge was well overdue.
he said: ‘it was a long time coming. As twisted as it looks, i just wanted her to be oK and experience the life she had always wanted.’
patient A, who had previously been the victim of sexual abuse, was discharged on christmas Eve, before the pair kissed in a park later that day.
the psychologist also gave the patient gifts, including chocolate, sweets, cheese and coral, which he admitted was ‘completely unprofessional’.
After the patient declared her feelings for him in a letter, he responded: ‘i know i have to listen to my inner therapist, even if a huge part of me doesn’t want to.
‘the romantic in me loves being your Darcy, but i have to be a priestly Darcy.’
however, the affair ended when the patient took a medication overdose in March last year.
she wrote to the samaritans to say the relationship had left her ‘heartbroken’ and ‘confused’, triggering the same feelings she had suffered from previous traumatic experiences of sexual abuse.
themessl-huber was close to tears as he admitted: ‘that’s a very difficult thing i face up to every day, the harm i caused.
‘i had so many opportunities to stop but i thought i can deal with that. i thought this was just me being genuine and helping her.
‘i felt i wanted to help her, that i started to like the guys she talked about. i wanted her to be confident and enjoy her life.’
the panel was told the psychologist engaged in sexual activity with the patient on multiple occasions between January and March 2016.
themessl-huber has admitted five charges including engaging in an inappropriate sexual relationship with the woman, sending personal emails including of a sexual nature and giving her gifts, and submitting five false timesheets between January 7-20 2016 while meeting the patient.
he faces being struck off if the panel finds his fitness to practise is impaired because of misconduct.
the hearing continues.