Electro-shock doc loses sex case appeal

The Dominion Post | Friday, 14 March 08

 Former Lake Alice Hospital psychiatrist Selwyn Leeks has lost an appeal in Australia against a $55,000 damages payout to a patient who says she was sexually assaulted by him. Leeks headed the Rangitikei hospital's child and adolescent unit, which closed in the late 1970s, before heading to Australia to continue practising. He was accused of punishing patients at Lake Alice with electric shocks (ECT) and painful drug injections. Other staff have been accused of sexually abusing patients. In 2001, after a lengthy investigation, the Government gave apologies and compensation to a group of former patients of the unit. It later extended these to a second group, bringing to $10.7 million the total paid to 183 people. The Melbourne Age newspaper reported that the Victorian Court of Appeal dismissed Leeks' appeal last week against a civil prosecution there from an alleged sexual assault victim. The woman said in 1979 and 1980 she endured Leeks undressing her, touching and licking her breasts and digitally penetrating her. At the time the woman, a mother of two children, was a psychiatric patient with a history of physical and sexual abuse. Leeks denies he abused any patients. Another Australian newspaper said it had spoken to a different woman who alleges she was abused by Leeks. A large number of former Lake Alice patients, aided by lawyers, are still pursuing ways to seek justice against Leeks and other staff. Citizens Commission on Human Rights executive director Steve Green told NZPA today those seeking justice felt they were being obstructed when trying to further their cases through police and government. "They can't really get any closure until there is some accountability," Mr Green said. He said patients would have taken heart from the civil Victorian case against Leeks and would continue to investigate. There have also been calls for Leeks to be extradited from Australia. Detective Superintendent Malcolm Burgess of the New Zealand Police said today there were no immediate plans for police here to push for Leeks' extradition, but the file was "still under active consideration".

so more children harmed due to the failure of the NZ Govt to press charges when complaints made but no too gutless had to cover it up and accuse the children of being mentally unwell and unstable so unreliable witnesses .