John Balafas: Bondi doctor charged with sexual assault and violence

An experienced eastern suburbs doctor has been charged with sexual assault, with a court hearing he has relapsed in his longstanding addictions.

An experienced eastern suburbs doctor has been charged with sexual assault and a string of alleged violent offences, trading his posh postcode for prison greens.

Bondi doctor John Balafas spent a week behind bars on remand charged with two counts of sexual intercourse without consent, two counts of common assault, one count of assault causing actual bodily harm, property damage and intimidation before applying for bail.

Documents tendered to Waverley Local Court indicate police will allege Balafas sexually assaulted a woman twice in one night on December 23 last year at an address in Sydney’s east.

The documents further indicate police will allege Balafas assaulted the woman twice, destroyed her iPhone, intimidated her and assaulted a child known to her on different dates between December 2021 and February 9 this year.

Bondi GP John Balafas.

Police refused Balafas’ bail when he was subsequently arrested and esteemed barrister Peggy Dwyer applied for his release at Waverley Local Court on Friday.

“The suggestion he physically assaulted this woman and the child is absolutely refuted,” Ms Dwyer told the court.

“He’s extremely distressed at the suggestion that he’s harmed or threatened anyone.”

Ms Dwyer told the court Balafas – who is the part-owner of Bondi Medical Centre – had relapsed in his longstanding alcohol addiction in recent times.

Online records show Balafas has been a general practitioner for more than a decade and is a skin cancer specialist.

The court also heard Balafas has already had a difficult time behind bars, having contracted Covid-19 when he was taken into custody and spending seven days confined entirely to his cell with a cell mate in quarantine.

The shirtless, tattooed male cell mate could be seen wandering around behind Balafas on the audiovisual link in their shared cell as details of his case were discussed.

“He’s not had so much as a visit from Justice Health,” Ms Dwyer told the court.

“He hasn’t had antidepressants for a week despite my entreaties to Justice Health.”

A police prosecutor opposed bail, saying Balafas posed a significant risk to the complainants’ safety.

However, Magistrate Rodney Brender granted Balafas bail which can only begin when his treating addiction specialist can secure a rehabilitation clinic bed for him.

Balafas will also be required to reside in Bondi with his father when he completes his rehabilitation stint, abstain from alcohol and drugs, and have an acceptable person put up $50,000 without security.

The doctor was calm throughout his appearance and did not react to any part of the proceedings.

The matter will return to court for a brief to be served under the early appropriate guilty plea program on April 19.