Sydney oncologist John Kearsley admits to drugging, indecently assaulting female registrar.

By Mazoe Ford

A high-profile Sydney oncologist has admitted to drugging and indecently assaulting a female registrar.

John Kearsley, the director of radiation oncology at St George Hospital and conjoint professor of medicine at the University of NSW, gave depressant drugs known as benzodiazepines to the 32-year-old and touched her inappropriately.

Kearsley put the drugs into the woman’s glasss of wine when she came to his house in Glebe in Sydney’s inner-west for dinner.

In the NSW District Court, the 63-year-old pleaded guilty to using an intoxicating substance to commit an indictable offence and assault with an act of indecency.

A statement of agreed facts, signed by both the prosecutor and Kearsley’s barrister Tony Bellanto QC, stated that Kearsley had invited the victim to his apartment to discuss mentoring her, fellowship options and her forthcoming examinations.

“The offender had prepared dinner and offered [the victim] champagne on her arrival.” the statement said.

“[The victim] indicated she was driving but would have ‘a little’.”

Later Kearsley poured them both a glass of red wine.

“The offender has always stated that he has little memory of the events but accepts that he, at some point, just before they sat down to dinner administered a tablet of Ativan to the wine they were drinking,” the statement said.

Ativan is a brand name for a class of benzodiazepine drug which is a sedative used to treat anxiety disorders and anxiety associated with depression.

Between dinner and dessert Kearsley suggested the pair go outside for a stroll and at this point the victim said she was feeling dizzy.

They returned to his apartment after an hour and when the victim sat down on a couch Kearsley said “lie down, I’ll teach you a relaxation technique”.

He removed her shoes and rotated her legs around so she could lie down on the couch.

The victim said she was feeling muddled and sleepy and did not protest, while Kearsley said he had no memory of the events.

The next thing the victim remembers is lying on a bed in the guest bedroom with Kearsley massaging her back and then kissing her left breast.

“[The victim] said ‘no stop’. The offender stopped and said ‘relax’. The offender placed his face direly in front of [the victim’s face] and tried to kiss her,” the statement said.

The victim said Kearsley tried one more time to kiss her breasts before she pushed him away, left and drove home.

Urine analysis confirmed drugs, court told

The next day she told a friend what had happened and the pair went to a pathology clinic so the victim could have a urine analysis done. It confirmed the presence of a benzodiazepine.

After taking a couple of days “to consider her position” the victim decided to report the incident to police.

Two months after the incident the victim phoned Kearsley and told him she had reported him, to which he said he was “stunned”.

Police were recording the conversation.

“He was very apologetic and expressed shock and disbelief at the suggestion that he had touched her and behaved inappropriately and that it was contrary to everything that he believed in,” the statement of facts said.

The victim came to court with her partner and a group of friends and colleagues to watch the proceedings, but she declined to comment afterwards.

The sentencing process will begin in February and Kearsley could face up to 25 years in prison.

Kearsley completed specialist training in radiation oncology and medical oncology in 1984 and was awarded a PhD degree in 1992.

He is a founder of the Prostate Cancer Institute and has contributed more than 150 publications to peer reviewed journals and been involved with hospital fundraising campaigns for 15 years.

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR) sent a representative to court this morning to support the victim

“The RANZCR has supported and will continue to support the victim, who is a RANZCR trainee,” Chief Executive Officer Natalia Vukolova told the ABC after proceedings.

“Of utmost concerns to the college is the well being of its trainees.”

Chief Executive of the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District, which oversees St George Hospital, Gerry Marr declined the ABC’s request for an interview.

“It would be inappropriate for South Eastern Sydney Local Health District to comment on this matter while proceedings are still before the court,” Mr Marr said.

This post originally appeared on ABC News.

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