Doctor suspended for computer porn

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A highly qualified Wellington doctor has been suspended and ordered to pay $6000 towards the cost of his medical disciplinary hearing after admitting having 50,000 pornographic pictures of young girls on his computer.

Andrew Jeremy Dunkley, 35, was sentenced in January in Wellington District Court to 160 hours of community work and put under intense supervision for 18 months after admitting six charges of possessing objectionable publications.

Today the New Zealand Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal released its decision suspending him until the end of July following his conviction on the criminal charges.

He was charged after police searched his home in the suburb of Newton last September and found the images on his computer.

At his sentencing Judge Bruce Davidson said he might well be what was known as a discovery user -- an internet voyeur with little risk of becoming active in sexually deviant behaviour.

The court was told Dunkley had no previous convictions, had disclosed his offending to his boss immediately and notified the Medical Council. He also self-referred to a treatment programme and was genuinely remorseful.

In its decision the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal censured Dunkley and imposed several conditions including supervision, psychological assessment and treatment before he could begin to practice.

He was also ordered to have a chaperone when examining female patients under 18, not to own or possess a computer capable of internet access except when working and to give a written undertaking that he would not look at pornographic material.

- NZPA