A doctor has been charged with sexual assault after he allegedly used secret cameras to film women during intimate examinations that he performed without surgical gloves.
Detectives from the Wangaratta Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Team charged 68-year-old Dr Stewart Moroney with sexual assault on Monday, following a series of alleged incidents at the Ely Street clinic in Victoria’s northeast.
A woman reported Dr Moroney to the police after she underwent a female health exam on October 10, 2017.
She claimed he did not use surgical gloves, instead conducting the examination bare-handed.
Detectives from the Wangaratta Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Team charged 68-year-old Dr Stewart Moroney (pictured) with sexual assault on Monday
The charges follow a series of alleged incidents at the Ely Street clinic (pictured) in Victoria’s northeast – including one that allegedly saw Dr Moroney performing a female health exam without gloves
The woman also reported there was camera equipment in the exam room.
When investigators searched Dr Moroney’s office and home address on November 30, they found and seized camera and computer equipment.
Detectives announced this week they had allegedly uncovered ‘a number of inappropriate images of female patients’ on the doctor’s devices.
The police went through the footage and allegedly identified a number of female patients by cross-checking time stamps on the footage with the GP’s appointment records.
Investigators from the Sexual Crimes Squad will now contact the alleged victims and notify them of the sexual abuse.
They vowed to contact every alleged victim before June 15.
When investigators searched Dr Moroney’s office and home address and uncovered ‘a number of inappropriate images of female patients’ on his devices. They have since identified a number of female patients
Acting Superintendent Joy Arbuthnot said the news would be ‘very distressing for the victims’.
‘I don’t think anyone wants to be in a position where they receive a notification from police that they have been a victim of a sexual assault,’ she said.
‘I understand this will be incredibly difficult for our victims to hear and we are working with a range of other agencies to ensure the right support services are in place and they are given as much information as possible about the process from here.
Acting Superintendent Joy Arbuthnot noted that Dr Moroney was a ‘trusted’ member of the community who had been practising in the area for 40 years
‘It is likely that there are other victims who, again, may be unaware the offence has occurred.’
Acting Supt Arbuthnot urged anyone who attended the Ely Street clinic and believed there was ‘anything unusual’ about their interaction with their GP to report to the police.
‘We understand how concerning this will be for the broader community of Wangaratta,’ she said, and further noted that Dr Moroney was a ‘trusted’ member of the community who had been practising in the area for 40 years.
Victoria Police said there was no evidence to suggest more than one doctor at the Ely Street clinic was involved in the alleged abuse.
Dr Moroney was interviewed by police in January and suspended from practicing.
He was charged with sexual assault and capturing intimate images on Monday, and has been bailed to appear at Wangaratta Magistrates’ Court on September 10.
Dr Moroney has been bailed to appear at Wangaratta Magistrate’s Court (pictured) in September
Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.