Former psychologist Alan Prince disqualified by QCAT

A judge has slammed a former Queensland psychologist after he concealed a wilful exposure charge while continuing to work.

Police were called to Tea Tree Bay in Noosa on Friday, November 20, 2012, where they found Prince sitting about 20m behind a group of teenage girls touching his exposed genitalia while staring at them.

A judge has slammed a former Queensland psychologist for seeking to “diminish” a wilful exposure charge, as the Psychology Board of Australia revealed he had concealed the information while continuing to work.

The board first filed a disciplinary referral in the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal against psychologist Alan Prince in March 2023.

The board argued Prince had provided false and misleading information when renewing his license to practise as a psychologist after failing to disclose he had been charged with one count of wilful exposure on a popular beach.

According to court documents, police were called to Tea Tree Bay in Noosa on Friday, November 20, 2012, where they found Prince sitting about 20m behind a group of teenage girls touching his exposed genitalia while staring at them.

Prince provided the Noosa Magistrates Court with a written guilty plea and was fined $300 with no conviction recorded, according to the court documents.

The behaviour was described in the documents as “clearly contrary” to the psychologist’s industry code of ethics, with Prince working for the Sunshine Coast District Health Service at the time.

The court documents state after an initial email from Prince in relation to the board’s application, he had not interacted with the tribunal since.

“He says that he pleaded guilty to avoid further embarrassment for all and that the incident could be reasonably interpreted as disrespectful. He then appears to suggest he was not guilty because his actions were not wilful and/or were accidental,” the court documents stated.

At the time of tribunal hearing last month, Prince’s registration had lapsed and it appeared he had retired, however QCAT member John Robertson stated he would still impose an 18-month disqualification on him reapplying for registration and prohibit him from offering any health service.

Mr Robertson said the charge resulting from the Noosa beach incident was an act of professional misconduct.

“Although the offence itself is at the low end of the spectrum of seriousness for offences of a sexual nature, it is nevertheless serious conduct by a mature man who, at that time, was an experienced psychologist and, according to his own resume, was working as a senior psychologist with the extended care team at the Sunshine Coast District Health Service,” Mr Robertson said.

Mr Robertson described Prince’s decision to conceal the charge as a “complete failure”.

“Of most concern here is the respondent’s complete failure to accept that his conduct was unprofessional or, indeed, wrong, or that the facts admitted by the plea of guilty are true. Profound lack of insight or remorse in his conduct are demonstrated by the fact that he refuses to accept any responsibility for any of the alleged conduct,” Mr Robertson said.

Mr Robertson said Prince sought to “diminish” the offence as something “having occurred in his private life”.

“I can safely infer that his failures to disclose in his various applications to renew were because he believed he had no obligation to do so and that his actions in failing to disclose were deliberate,” he said.

Originally published as Former psychologist Alan Prince disqualified by QCAT