Adelaide Dr Mario Athinodorou escapes jail despite admitting sexually assaulting three patients
EXCLUSIVE: An Adelaide doctor has escaped jail despite admitting he “exploited” female patients and sexually assaulted them, almost two decades after being reprimanded for similar misconduct.
A SUSPENDED Adelaide doctor has avoided jail despite admitting he indecently assaulted female patients, almost two decades after being reprimanded for similar misconduct.
Dr Mario Athinodorou, 48, treated his three victims, who cannot be named for legal reasons, at the Harbour Medical Services’ North Haven clinic, in Adelaide’s north-west.
But the GP, of Woodville South, “exploited his doctor-patient relationship” when he kissed the women — one of whom he had treated since she was a child — on the lips, in attacks between October 2010 and July 2012.
His three western suburbs-based victims, now aged in their twenties and thirties, gave emotional court victim impact statements, laying bare their embarrassment and anxiety.
The medico’s breach of trust came almost 15 years after the state’s medical conduct tribunal “warned” him about his “inappropriate behaviour” with a patient he had kissed and hugged.
The father of four, a member of Adelaide’s Orthodox Greek community, faces being struck off over incidents with at least two other women. The Medical Board assisted police.
The Cyprus-born doctor, who has more than two decades’ medical experience, was initially charged with nine counts of aggravated indecent assault against a person and two counts of rape.
Prosecutors dropped the more serious sexual charges, linked to “gynaecological” examinations.
In the Port Adelaide Magistrates Court on Friday, he was convicted of three counts of aggravated indecent assault after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing.
The charges were aggravated because of his position of trust as a GP.
He faced up to 10 years in jail and can now be identified after secrecy orders were lifted.
The first victim had revealed her “extreme” embarrassment, disgust and guilt.
The second patient is now “afraid of talking to most people”.
“The anxiety I feel as a result ... causes me constant pain … and I get traumatic nightmares,” she said.
A “very stressed” third victim suffers “panic attacks” and feels “dirty, betrayed, depressed, unhappy and embarrassed”.
Magistrate Alfio Grasso declined to pass an immediate, or suspended, jail term. He issued a “substantial” $6000 fine.
Mr Grasso had “reservations” about defence claims the doctor would not reoffend given previous warnings and the number of offences.
While he has left the medical practice, which also has offices at Taperoo and Port Adelaide, the doctor is now suspended, pending the Medical Board’s decision.
Glowing references from unidentified, but “upstanding” members of Adelaide’s Greek community, also revealed the community’s shock.
He said: “He has undoubtedly already paid a heavy price and … I accept him and his wife have suffered a great deal of shame as a result of this offending. But the offences involved a breach of trust between him and his patients.”
The third victim told The Advertiser of her devastation and relief at the conviction.
The medico, flanked by his teacher wife, refused comment.