Calgary Child Psychiatrist Nasreen Roberts Guilty of Sexual Assault of Former Teen Patient

September 16, 2021

It was a May-October romance, but not the kind found in Harlequin novels or on Hollywood screens.

He had just turned 18, having gone to her as a youth for counselling for self-esteem issues.

She was a successful and married adolescent psychiatrist in her mid-40s.

“It is at the highest level of a breach of trust,” Calgary provincial court Judge John Bascom said Wednesday, after hearing details of Dr. Nasreen Roberts’ sexual relationship with her former vulnerable patient and agreeing to sentence her to a period of house arrest and curfew.

Roberts, 73, pleaded guilty to a charge of sexual assault in connection with incidents between 1994 and 1998, while she was practicing at the Foothills Medical Centre.

According to an agreed statement of facts, read into the record by Crown prosecutor Rebecca Bell-Moratto, the victim was referred to Roberts for counselling by his mother as a 17-year-old with self-esteem issues.

The counselling sessions began initially at her Foothills office, but soon they began to meet in the community in parks and travelled to Banff several times in Roberts’ Jeep Cherokee, Bell-Moratto told Bascom.

They would even go for meals and at least once went skiing together.

“During these counselling sessions, Roberts cultivated (his) affection,” Bell-Moratto said.

“For (the victim’s) 18th birthday, in August of 1994, Roberts rented a room at the newly opened Rimrock Hotel. A formal counselling relationship no longer existed between the parties at this time.

“At the Rimrock Hotel, Roberts initiated sexual intercourse with (him).”

At the time, Roberts was 46 years old. Bell-Moratto said the sexual relationship continued for several years, until Roberts moved to Ontario.

“Any consent that appeared to evolve on the part of (the victim) was illusory as it was based on Roberts’ misuse of the influence she gained in her patient-doctor relationship with (him). (Her victim) was deeply conflicted about the sexual relationship,” Bell-Moratto said.

Like Roberts, who appeared in court via WebEx from Kingston, Ont., where she now lives, the victim attended the proceedings from Montreal.

In a lengthy victim-impact statement, he told Bascom how his relationship with Roberts, beginning as her patient, has ruined his life.

“With the benefit of hindsight I can say the impact has been nothing less than catastrophic,” the now 45-year-old told court.

He said the relationship with Roberts manifested his self-loathing to the point he ended up homeless from 2013 to 2020.

“In all honesty, I’d still be homeless if it weren’t for COVID assistance,” he said.

Defence lawyer Jennifer Ruttan said her client asked her to express her deep remorse for the consequences of her actions.

“She has been guilt ridden these past many years,” Ruttan told Bascom.

The judge accepted a joint submission from Bell-Moratto and Ruttan for a two-years-less-a-day conditional sentence, which includes 12 months of house arrest and another six under nightly curfew.

He noted one of the consequences Roberts has suffered is she has been forced to resign her position with the Ontario College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Source: Kevin Martin, “Child psychiatrist pleads guilty to sexual assault over affair with former patient,” Whig Standard, Sept. 15, 2021, URL: https://www.thewhig.com/news/crime/child-psychologist-pleads-guilty-to-sexual-assault-over-affair-with-former-patient/wcm/864f5641-c5a8-431d-a589-79efc6d47533