Australian psychiatrist banned from practicing after sexual misconduct with patients

March 29, 2018

Australian psychiatrist Dr. Ian Morris de Saxe has been banned from practicing for two years after the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal found he had engaged in professional misconduct in relation to three patients.  

The tribunal heard that Dr de Saxe was attracted to young men.

Dr de Saxe told one patient — a 36-year-old man who was alleged to have had sexual contact with children — that he did not agree with the law and that "it was alright to do this", saying "in other countries it is legal" and "back in Greek times it was OK," the tribunal found.  The tribunal also found that he had looked into the patient's eyes while the man was talking about his sexuality, and invited the patient to engage in a sexual act with him.

Dr de Saxe had been sexually inappropriate with another patient by engaging in mutual masturbation and sexual intercourse with the patient during treatment.  Dr de Saxe acknowledged that this patient was young and he knew his actions were wrong.

He also admitted to the tribunal to offering to massage the legs of a 29-year-old patient he treated at his Lindfield practice in November 2011, before asking the patient: "Do you want me to go any higher?" He told the tribunal that he was sexually attracted to the patient and that part of him had wanted to touch the man's penis.

SOURCE: Bellinda Kontominas, "Sydney psychiatrist banned from practising after sexual misconduct with patients," Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 27 Mar 2018, http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-27/psychiatrist-banned-after-sexual-misconduct-with-patients/9594336.