Plastic surgeon Ian Holten and anaesthetist Eoin Fehsenfeld in legal battle
Two medical professionals, who were once so close they bought a $280k yacht together, are now locked in a bitter legal battle over claims about a sex romp.
Victoria
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A veteran plastic surgeon who had sex with a patient is suing a former colleague and friend for allegedly spreading falsehoods and making defamatory statements about the romp.
Plastic surgeon Ian Holten and anaesthetist Eoin Fehsenfeld, who were once so close they bought a $280,000 yacht together, are locked in a bitter legal battle playing out at the County Court.
Dr Holten was suspended from practicing for three months by the medical regulator for breaching professional boundaries after he admitted having sex with a patient on-board the yacht – named the Akatea – in January 2014.
Dr Holten’s lawyer, David Gilbertson QC, on Tuesday said his client quickly acknowledged the one-time sexual encounter and paid a “heavy price”.
The friendship between Dr Holten and Dr Fehsenfeld soured in mid-2015 after the anaesthetist was suspended over an unrelated matter at St John of God hospital in Geelong where they both worked.
Dr Holten claimed he had nothing to do with the suspension but believed his colleague was suspicious he’d made a complaint.
During the same period, Dr Fehsenfeld met the patient Dr Holten had sex with – given the pseudonym Sally Porter – and began dating her, the court heard.
In January 2016, Dr Holten sold his share in the Akatea to Dr Fehsenfeld after falling out over maintenance responsibilities.
When Dr Holten went to drop off the Akatea’s mainsail at Dr Fehsenfeld’s Newtown home, the anaesthetist allegedly said: “You’ve stolen stuff off the boat and you’ve f--ked the engine.”
Dr Fehsenfeld also allegedly said to Dr Holten: “Sally Porter and I are going to stitch you up and get you deregistered with the board.”
In March, Dr Holten became aware of a complaint to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency made by Sally Porter, alleging they had been in an 18-month sexual relationship.
Ms Porter told AHPRA they met in 2011 when she was Dr Holten’s patient and they would regularly have sex in a carpark.
She claimed the relationship caused her to lose her husband, kids and house.
Dr Holten said her allegations were false, claiming the pair became friends in 2009 through a children’s cricket club and Ms Porter was in the process of divorce during their one-time sexual encounter.
Dr Holten also claims he was defamed after Mr Fehsenfeld allegedly told another physician the plastic surgeon deliberately left cancerous cells after operating on his own wife and severed a nerve on another patient.
Dr Holten is pursuing damages for defamatory statements, as well as injurious falsehoods.
The trial continues.
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