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Peter Thistlethwaite: paramedic to face trial over sexual touching claims

A private paramedic will defend 17 sexual touching charges over his alleged conduct towards female patients who fell ill at Sydney train stations. Police will allege the man removed a woman’s underwear when she complained of stomach pain.

Peter Thistlethwaite has pleaded not guilty to 17 charges of sexual touching allegedly related to his employment as a private paramedic.
Peter Thistlethwaite has pleaded not guilty to 17 charges of sexual touching allegedly related to his employment as a private paramedic.

A private paramedic accused of sexually touching female patients when they took ill at Sydney train stations and removing one woman’s underwear when she complained of abdominal pain will face a District Court trial over 17 charges.

Peter Thistlethwaite, 38, has been charged with 16 counts of aggravated sexual touching and one count of aggravated indecent assault on a person under his authority after police received grave reports about his alleged conduct in his role as a private paramedic in July 2019.

Police will allege Thistlethwaite touched one female patient complaining of chest pains on the groin and removed a different woman’s underwear after she complained of stomach cramps.

Peter Thistlethwaite.
Peter Thistlethwaite.
He returns to court next week.
He returns to court next week.

Thistlethwaite has pleaded not guilty to all the charges and will face a District Court trial.

His barrister Stephen Russell appeared on Thistlethwaite’s behalf briefly at Downing Centre District Court on Tuesday, where the matter was adjourned for mention on August 31.

Thistlethwaite has previously denied the claims, and has said the allegations are strongly contested.

Police will allege Thistlethwaite’s physical contact with his patients was not consistent with practical treatment for the symptoms either woman was complaining of that day.

Thistlethwaite has been on bail since August 2019.

Thistlethwaite has never been employed by NSW Ambulance.

Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/stgeorge-shire-standard/private-paramedic-peter-thistlethwaite-charged-over-sexual-touching-claims/news-story/6ee8c686c317487d38c90d5a4311a9fc