Anesthesiologist George Doodnaught was convictedin November kissing women, fondling their breastsand putting his penis in the mouth or hand of thepatients at North York General Hospital in Torontoduring a four-year period that ended in 2010.Ontario Superior Court Judge David McCombscalled Doodnaught’s conduct “reprehensible” sexualassaults on 21 sedated women during surgeries —violations that left his victims with lasting emotionaldamage.
OTTAWA -An Indo-Canadian anesthesiologistwas sentenced to 10 years inprison on Tuesday for sexually assaulting21 women while they were sedated butstill aware of their surroundings.Dr. George Doodnaught, 65, was convictedin November of kissing, fondlingand forcing oral sex on the patients atNorth York General Hospital in Torontoduring a four-year period that ended in2010.The victims were aware of what was happeningbut could not move, the courtheard. In delivering the sentence, OntarioSuperior Court Judge David McCombscalled the crimes “shocking and abhorrent,”according to public broadcasterCBC. “The profound psychologicalimpact of the physical violations hasbeen compounded by the victims’ deepfeelings of betrayal — that these offenceswere committed during surgery, by amedical doctor, in an operating room, aplace of ultimate vulnerability and trust,”McCombs said in sentencingDoodnaught.”His conduct did enormousdamage and was reprehensiblein the extreme,” theJudge said. Many ofDoodnaught’s victims werein the courtroom and wipedtears from their eyes as thesentence was read.Their victim impact statementsat an earlier sentencinghearing told of “debilitating”feelings of anger andbitterness, shame, panicattacks, loss of self-worth, distrust ofdoctors and an inability to form intimaterelationships, McCombs said.”In several cases (Doodnaught) compoundedhis victims’ sense of violationand humiliation by manipulating them totry to make them believe they were somehowresponsible — that they had initiatedsexual contact or had engaged in sexuallyexplicit conversations,” McCombs said.During the trial, the defense had arguedthat the victims actually had vivid sexualdreams caused by sedatives known toplay tricks with memory, and thatDoodnaught could not have assaultedthem undetected by others separatedonly by a surgical screen in the operatingroom. A researcher confirmed in courtthat the drugs can cause hallucinations.But he added it was unlikelythat all of the women, whodid not know each other,would come forward separatelywith similar accusationsagainst the same doctor.The prosecution saidDoodnaught was an experienceddoctor who knew theroutines of a busy operatingroom, and timed the briefassaults to avoid detection.”He had control over their level of anesthesiaand would have known that theycould not openly resist,” McCombs saidin his ruling in November.”He relied on the amnesiac effects of thedrugs to shield him from complaints.”Though Doodnaught was sentenced to10 years, he may not spend much time incustody. Doodnaught intends to appealhis convictions, and the Court of Appealfor Ontario is set to hear an applicationWednesday to let him out on bail pendingthe appeal. He was on bail throughoutthe trial, so his victims stayed in thecourtroom after the sentence was read tosee the handcuffs slapped on and the disgraceddoctor led out of the room.One of his victims — the one whosparked the investigation — clapped as hewas led away. Outside court she said theprospect of more court hearings asDoodnaught proceeds with his appeal is”devastating,” but she will keep attendingand fighting to be heard.”At this point I’ve come this far and Ineed to show my children how to do theright thing and how to stand up (against)what’s wrong and this is so wrong on somany levels and I need to do that forthem,” she said with her husband by herside. The woman, who can’t be identified dueto a publication ban, had a mass on severalorgans when she went in for a hysterectomyin 2010. During the surgeryDoodnaught fondled her breasts, kissedher and put his penis in her mouth, thecourt found. When she was in therecovery room, Doodnaught leaned inclose to her and said, “As soon as youwere out, the first thing you reached forwas my…(penis),” the court found.Doodnaught declined the opportunityto make a statement before he was sentenced,which the victim said wastelling. “Never once during this wholeprocess, even when I was on the stand,when I was giving my victim impactstatement, at any time, did he look atme,” she said outside court. “He’s acoward.” Doodnaught’s lawyer, BrianGreenspan, said his client was “disappointed”with the sentence. “He continuesto enjoy widespread support notonly with his family but amongst hiscolleagues, patients,” he said outsidecourt. When Doodnaught was convictedin November, McCombs found thedoctor relied on his three decades ofoperating room experience to avoiddetection as he kissed women, fondledtheir breasts and put his penis in theirmouth or hand. Doodnaught wasknown as a “touchy feely” doctor, oftenstroking a patient’s cheek or hair tosoothe them during surgery, so thejudge found his physical proximity duringsurgery didn’t arouse suspicion withother staff even as he sexually assaultedthe women while concealed only by asurgical drape. All but one of theassaults took place at the North YorkGeneral Hospital in Toronto.
Comments are closed.