Psychologist sex assault charges dropped
MORE than a dozen sex assault charges against a former northern beaches psychologist, who was killed by a truck before appearing in court, have formally been dropped.
Manly
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- Man arrested on historic northern beaches sex assault charges
- Pieter Rossouw killed by a truck
- Victims of psychologist can launch compensation action
- Case of accused sex assaulting Avalon psychologist killed by truck back in court
MORE than a dozen historic sex assault charges against a former northern beaches psychologist, who died before appearing in court, have formally been dropped.
Pieter Jozua Rossouw, 62, was accused of indecently and sexually assaulting three patients, including a teenage girl, at an Avalon clinic between 2004 and 2009.
Rossouw was killed when hit by a B-double truck on a Queensland highway on February 2, just days before he was due to appear in Manly Local Court.
He was facing 13 charges of aggravated indecent assault of a victim under his authority as well as one charge of aggravated sexual assault.
The prominent psychologist, who lived in Brisbane, was also charged with incite aggravated indecency on a victim aged 16 or over, under his authority.
In late January Northern Beaches’ police applied in the Brisbane Magistrate’s Court for his extradition from Queensland to NSW.
Rossouw denied the allegations he repeatedly assaulted a 17-year-old female patient at the private clinic in Avalon in 2004. Rossouw specialised in treating anxiety and mood disorders.
Two other female patients, aged in their 30s and 40s, told police in 2009 that Rossouw had assaulted them during sessions at the clinic.
He was killed by a truck on the Bruce Highway near Gympie, north of Brisbane, at 10.15pm on February 2 — three days before he was to front Manly Local Court.
The Manly Daily reported in February that Rossouw’s victims could potentially make civil compensation claims against his estate.
And Karen Willis, who runs Rape & Domestic Violence Services Australia, said Rossouw was likely to have had more victims.
Brisbane Magistrate’s Court was told in January that Rossouw was charged with offences that carried a maximum penalty of 20 years in jail because he was in a position of authority when the alleged incidents occurred.
“The victims at the time were very distraught,” police prosecutor Sgt Matt Kahler told the court. “They trusted him and he abused that trust.”
Rossouw was still a registered psychologist at the time of his arrest.
Manly magistrate Christopher Longley formally ordered on April 18, that there be no further proceedings against Rossouw because he was deceased.