OZschwitz injustice: Surgeon struck off after sex with patient

THERE was no chance the celebrity plastic surgeon would be convicted for sexual assault after having oral sex with a patient, the Director of Public Prosecutions found two years ago, when it dropped charges against him.

But yesterday Martyn Mendelsohn was struck off the register of doctors for professional misconduct, although his 22-year-old patient who wanted a nose "like a Barbie doll" decided not to give evidence against him.

Mendelsohn - an ear, nose and throat specialist who had appeared on the TV program RPA - was accused of unethical conduct over the sexual incident and of lacking care, knowledge, skill or judgment when performing nose surgery on the woman immediately afterwards.

The Medical Tribunal found Mendelsohn, 50, also lacked candour when talking about the sexual encounter and lacked insight into his involvement in the event.

The act had happened in May 2005, when he had offered to perform a rhinoplasty on the patient after hours in his rooms under a local anaesthetic to make it cheaper.

The patient - who according to the doctor's assistant was "a bit of a nutter" who looked up to him - arrived late and all staff had left. The prospective model had had her nose broken for a third time after recent surgery. Mendelsohn said she hugged him, claiming to be scared, then offered to "look after" him if he looked after her needs for further plastic surgery. She kissed him, placed his hand on her breast and performed oral sex.

Mendelsohn told the tribunal: "I lost my composure. Instead of thinking about right and wrong, I just froze. I could feel myself unable to move at all … It all seemed fairly quick … I felt trapped and manipulated by the events."

The woman had told police Mendelsohn had injected her with a substance, believed to be an anaesthetic, which made her lose control over her body. Then she felt Dr Mendelsohn kiss her and touch her breast before the sexual incident occurred. She alleged he said: "Don't worry, you won't have to pay for this or any other surgeries."

Mendelsohn, a former lecturer at the University of Sydney, was the head of the Australasian Academy of Facial Plastic Surgeons and served on a Government committee. The tribunal found stress of a busy practice, his other involvements and the recent cancer diagnosis of his wife had contributed to significant stress.

It ordered he be struck off from December 29 and not be allowed to re-apply for at least two years.

LNK

OZschwitz injustice: Surgeon struck off after sex with patient

OZschwitz injustice: Surgeon struck off after sex with patient

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