‘Pervy’ dentist struck off for groping staff at Christmas parties

A SCOTTISH dentist has been struck off for groping colleagues at work Christmas parties.

John Wittchen became ‘a bit of a perv’ when he had too much to drink and ‘inappropriately’ touched two female co-workers, a tribunal heard.

The dentist is said to have put his hand down a colleague’s top while standing behind her and at a later Christmas party.

At another festive function, Wittchen started ‘behaving in a pervy way’ and inappropriately touched a member of staff by touching her thigh.

Wittchen has now been struck off the General Dental Council (GDC) register after a tribunal ruled his offending was ‘sexually motivated’ and showed ‘no appreciation of the seriousness’ of his actions.

Wittchen, who graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 1980, displayed a ‘pattern’ of sexually motivated behaviour by groping the women at events from 2007 to 2016.

It is understood he worked at a practice in Edinburgh and the GDC tribunal was told one traumatised colleague had to take time off work and was on medication as a result of the touching. One said: ‘As Christmas parties go, we all had a bit too much to drink, it can happen. When [Wittchen] had too much to drink, he could be a bit of a perv and behave in a pervy way.

‘It was during the party that he touched me on the leg.’

Another colleague, recalling one of her experiences when the police were called, said: ‘When I came out of the female toilets, I must have taken three or four steps and then [Wittchen] was coming out of the male toilet.

‘He saw me and walked towards me. As he approached his hands were outstretched and he placed them on my nipples over my top I was wearing. With his fingers and thumbs he twisted my nipples.’

Recalling another incident, which Wittchen apologised for the next day at work, the same colleague said: ‘[Wittchen] tried to put his hand down my top.

‘I was not wearing a low-cut top.

He just put his whole hand down.’ Striking the dentist from the register, a GDC panel said: ‘Mr Wittchen’s actions were nonconsensual in nature and involved him touching intimate areas.

‘The committee is satisfied that Mr Wittchen’s actions can be categorised as such sexually motivated.’

The panel added: ‘The continued sexually motivated conduct towards two colleagues during work Christmas parties was conduct that fell significantly below the standards expected and brings the reputation of the profession into disrepute.

‘The committee was of the view that the findings of inappropriate, unprofessional, and sexually motivated conduct represent a serious departure from the standards expected of a registered dental professional.

‘Mr Wittchen said he has previously attended two boundaries courses and provided numerous testimonials. However, he has provided no evidence of remorse or insight, and he has failed to engage in these proceedings.’

‘No evidence of remorse’