Rape accused Sydney doctor granted bail
A Sydney doctor accused of raping a former patient has been bailed by way of $50,000 put up by his ex wife today, as the court heard the gynaecologist had faced allegations last year from the health watchdog but “could not be painted as a predator”.
Wentworth Courier
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A prominent former Sydney doctor charged with sexually assaulting a patient has his ex-wife to thank for no longer being behind bars, after she put up a $50,000 surety as part of his release on bail today.
Former Newcastle University associate professor Richard Reid, 77, is facing eight charges of aggravated sexual assault, with police alleging the incidents involved interactions with a 64-year-old former female patient while he was working as a gynaecologist at Edgecliff between 2010 and 2014.
He has since retired and moved to Woongarrah on the Central Coast with his current wife, who is from the Philippines.
During Reid’s bail hearing at the Waverley Local Court today, his barrister Phillip Ramos submitted the matter had been reported to police 10 months after the complainant had sought a $5 million insurance claim settlement from the doctor.
“We say it might be open for a jury to conclude there may be motive in terms of money as to why allegations against Dr Reid were fabricated,” Mr Ramos told the court.
The court also heard police have included in the antecedents of the case a 2018 judgment against Reid by the Health Care Complaints Commission, detailing 17 allegations relating to his time as a medical practitioner.
Mr Ramos said it was “misleading to paint him as a predator of 17 women” as only one of the civil allegations related to sexual conduct and that his client had a “pristine” criminal record.
Reid sat quietly in the dock as Magistrate Greg Grogin granted him bail, with the court hearing some of the allegations brought by police relate to “kissing and rubbing of the breast” of the former patient.
“The crown case seems inherently implausible (why) would one have a procedure where one was sexually assaulted and keep coming back without complaining to anyone,” Mr Ramos said.
In granting him bail, Magistrate Grogin noted that the passage of time between the alleged offences and when it was reported was a significant factor in releasing Reid.
What he is accused of, sexual offences, would also mean his time on remand would be difficult, he said.
“Had these allegations arisen in the last month, the last week or the last three months it would have been a very different situation I would have faced,” Magistrate Grogin said.
“He is 77-years-old, time on remand would be onerous … the nature of the allegations would also make his time on remand more onerous.”
He is now subject to daily reporting conditions after his ex-wife agreed to put up a surety of $50,000 as part of his release.
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