North Brisbane doctor still practising after sexual assault acquittal sparks anger
The victim of a doctor whose schizophrenia saw him acquitted of sexually assaulting 17 of his patients has "given up faith in this country" after learning he was still practising.
Marlene Eziuzor, 51, broke down crying when she heard the Brisbane man was able to see patients again thanks to a tribunal decision.
Doctor promises not to reoffend
A Brisbane doctor who sexually assaulted 17 women is allowed back to work, leaving his victims wondering "how to survive this". A Current Affair
In August 2012, Kevin Robert Wong was charged with 27 counts of sexual assault after police investigated allegations from 18 complainants - 17 patients and a female staff member.
The case was referred to the Mental Health Court in 2013, which found the doctor was suffering from "unsoundness of mind" during the alleged offences, acquitted him and allowed him to keep practising under a range of conditions including that he keep taking medication to ward off another relapse.
But Ms Eziuzor, who is considering legal action, said she had no idea of the outcome until she recently learnt the doctor had been registered to work at the McDowall Family Medical Centre in Brisbane's north.
"They're saying he's stable now but being the victim of what happened I feel that he shouldn't be practising, period," she said.
"Because he's already done it once, what's going to stop him from doing it again?
"It's really changed my life, like I can't live in Brisbane anymore."
Neither Dr Wong nor the McDowall Family Medical Centre returned calls to comment.
The mother-of-three said she still suffered anxiety, severe post-traumatic stress disorder and depression stemming from her August 21, 2012, run-in with Dr Wong during a consultation for recurring headaches at his old practice in Wynnum.
She said the doctor asked her to remove her bra and the straps of her dress, before cupping her breast in one hand as he examined her chest.
"I couldn't look at him and I said to him, 'I don't know what you're doing that for because there's no lumps'," she said over the phone from Sydney, where she now lives.
The GP stopped and checked for some other problems before moving on to her bottom, Ms Eziuzor said.
"Then he put a needle into my backside and he was just rubbing it and rubbing it and rubbing it and rubbing it, rubbing it, rubbing it, rubbing it, rubbing it," she said.
"I just said, that's enough but I couldn't look at him.
"I just felt violated. I couldn't look at him."
Dr Wong voluntarily stopped practising in August 2012 in the wake of his charges.
He was first diagnosed with schizophrenia in 1998 but allowed to continue practising subject to monitoring conditions.
They were removed in 2003 and the doctor stopped getting treatment in 2008, leading to a relapse in 2012, when the string of complaints occurred.
The Medical Board of Australia tried to deregister him through the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal in July 2014, alleging he'd committed professional misconduct.
The board argued the public couldn't have confidence in the GP because of his history of "aberrant" behaviour during relapse.
"(Dr Wong's) relapse in 2012 provides a stark illustration of the risks to which members of the public would be exposed in the event that his proposed return to practice is sanctioned by the Tribunal," it submitted.
The board claimed there was a "very high degree of probability" of a relapse but QCAT deputy president Judge Alexander Horneman-Wren ruled the risk was minimal, pointing to the board's own medical expert's submission that the doctor was fully compliant with medication and counselling and fit to return to work gradually.
"The mere fact [the doctor] relapsed in the past does not establish, of itself, a risk or probability that he will again relapse in the future," he said.
In June 21 this year, QCAT ruled the board had to pay Dr Wong's costs.
To maintain his registration he must continue to take his medication and continue to work at the McDowall Family Medical Centre under principal supervisor Dr Norris Chern.
Dr Wong did not respond to calls Fairfax Media put to his barrister, law firm, McDowall Family Medical and the the Edith Street Medicentre in Wynnum, which he still owns.
Victims outraged doctor can continue practising unchaperoned
The angry women left stunned that a doctor who sexually assaulted them is still allowed to practise.
Women assaulted by a Queensland doctor when he went off his schizophrenia medication are outraged he is allowed to treat female patients without other staff in the room.
Dr Kevin Robert Wong has faced 27 charges of indecent or sexual assault in regards to 17 women.
Dr Wong initially denied the assaults when questioned by police, but was charged after more victims spoke out.
The case appeared before a Mental Health Court and documents, cited by A Current Affair, reveal Dr Wong told psychiatrists he believed the women wanted him to touch them.
Authorities will be testing Dr Wong to ensure he takes prescribed medications in the future (Source: A Current Affair)
Prosecutors argued Dr Wong gained sexual pleasure from the acts and was of unsound mind when the attacks occurred. Court transcripts also reveal that Dr Wong has a history of failing to take his medication.
Charges against Dr Wong were dropped because he was of unsound mind and as a result was considered not fit to stand trial. The Medical Board of Australia then commenced disciplinary action, which was also overturned by the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal due to Dr Wong's mental illness.
He has since had some conditions placed upon him. But his ability to continue treating women unchaperoned has led former patients to speak out.
Sue Harrison's sexual assault was made all the worse by not being able to leave Dr Wong's consulting room (Source: A Current Affair)
Sue Harrison went to see Dr Wong for a rash on her back and was indecently assaulted in his consultation room.
"He grabbed my breast underneath my T-shirt, through my jacket," Ms Harrison told A Current Affair.
"I felt like I couldn't escape."
"He had to open the door, I couldn't work out how to open the door to get out."
Anita Sorrensen was unable to hug her son following the sexual assault as she was so afraid of men (Source: A Current Affair)
Anita Sorrensen says she could barely stand hugging her son after her trust in men was shattered by Dr Wong.
"When he lifted up my bra and massaged, he was asking me what cup size I was, how soft my skin was," Ms Sorrensen said.
"He put his hands where he shouldn't have, and he was on the bed between my legs and touched a certain part he shouldn't have touched.
"I couldn't even hug my son for a while.
"My son, who I love to death. I couldn't cuddle him, because he's a man."
Marlene Eziuzor had mental health problems of her own following the sexual assault (Source: A Current Affair)
Marlene Eziuzor says she still suffers following a consultation with Dr Wong four years ago.
"I actually suffered PTSD, anxiety, depression, insomnia - I'm lucky if I have two hours sleep a day," she said.
"I've really stopped living my life. I live like a caged animal."
© Nine Digital Pty Ltd 2017
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