Royal Darwin Hospital contractor charged with raping a female patient

A Royal Darwin Hospital contractor pretending to be a physical therapist allegedly sexually assaulted a female patient.

A hospital contractor allegedly repeatedly raped a female patient while masquerading as a physical therapist.

The man in his 30s, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared in the dock at the Darwin Local Court on Monday.

The hospital contractor faced five counts of sexual assault over an alleged incident at Royal Darwin Hospital (RDH) on September 7.

Judge Therese Austin alleged the man went into a 31-year-old patient’s room, where he claimed to be employed by the hospital as a masseur.

Reading from the alleged facts, Ms Austin said: “He offered to give the patient a massage in a therapeutic capacity”.

“He was not a masseuse, or acting in a therapeutic or medical capacity that day.

“He was pretending to be someone else.

“And as a result it is alleged the patient consented to receiving a massage.

“He then allegedly sexually assaulted her.”

Royal Darwin Hospital. Picture: Che Chorley

Ms Austin said the contractor should not have been in the patient’s room.

“Why that (worker) was ever entering the cubical of that patient? I do not know,” she said.

“He had absolutely no grounds to enter the cubical of that patient, and have any physical contact with her at all.”

The hospital contractor was arrested nine days after the alleged sexual assault, on Friday, September 16.

Prosecutor Anthea Cartwright said the alleged victim had provided police with a statement, a sketch of her alleged abuser, phone and hospital records.

Ms Cartwright said police had video footage from the hospital room where the alleged assault took place.

The court heard the man convinced the woman to give him her phone number and he continued to message her.

Ms Cartwright said the woman later blocked his number.

The court heard police also had a copy of a recorded phone call between the man and his alleged victim.

Ms Austin said the call allegedly contained an admission that a sexual incident occurred but the man also reportedly told police it was consensual.

He was charged with five counts of sexual assault, including three counts sexual intercourse without consent, gross indecency and aggravated indecent assault.

His wife sat in the court and watched as her husband faced Judge Austin.

Defence barrister Errol Chua said she still supported her husband and asked for him to be granted bail.

“She requires her husband to be with her and she stands by him with these allegations,” Mr Chau said.

“He’s unlikely to flee and will stay to defend himself.”

Ms Austin weighed up the severity of the charges and the prosecution’s evidence and denied the man’s bail application.

He will return to court on November 23, for a preliminary examination mention.

Originally published as Royal Darwin Hospital contractor charged with raping a female patient