Female health worker loses medical licence after sharing images of children being abused

The female health practitioner has had her licence cancelled by the tribunal. Photon / 123RF

A female health practitioner who shared images of children being abused online and discussed her desire to have her own child so the child could then also be abused has asked for further anonymity so she can rebuild her life in another field.

The woman’s name, profession and identifying details were already suppressed by the District Court last year after she pleaded guilty to possessing and distributing images of child exploitation.

Suppression was granted in part to protect the significant number of patients she’d treated over the years, some of whom were victims of sexual abuse.

In April last year, the woman was sentenced to 11 months’ home detention and avoided having her name added to the sex offenders register.

Since then, her medical registration has been suspended, and this week the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal convened for just over an hour before deciding to cancel it.

The woman was late to the hearing and stayed for 10 minutes to read a brief statement about her offending, during which she noted she didn’t have to attend the hearing.

“I am deeply remorseful for my actions,” she said.

“I’ve been assessed as being of low risk of reoffending if I remain in treatment. I do not expect to be trusted again easily, but I am committed to change.”

The woman believed she was no longer “a complete risk to the community” but accepted the harm her offending had caused, and that she would be losing her registration.

“I know there may not be a pathway back,” she said.

The woman asked for further anonymity than the suppressions already granted by both the court and the tribunal, requesting that her name be removed from her profession’s medical register entirely so the fact her medical licence was cancelled wouldn’t be searchable and limit her future career prospects.

“I ask that my personal details remain not searchable so I can rebuild my life in another field.”

Ordinarily, a medical professional who is suspended or struck off will remain on the register but with a note next to their name that their licence has been cancelled, alongside any conditions that have been imposed.

The tribunal will issue a written decision on her request at a later date.

Sentencing, cancellation and censure

According to the summary of facts presented to the Auckland District Court last year, the New Zealand Customs Service began investigating the woman in 2021 after receiving a report from a social media website.

A search warrant was executed at her home, and devices were seized, which indicated she was a member of numerous online groups that supported the sexual exploitation of children.

Those devices also contained multiple images of child exploitation.

“The defendant was actively using multiple social messenger platforms to send and receive messages to various groups and individuals,” the summary of facts stated.

“Within these chats, the defendant sent messages which promoted the sexual exploitation of children, discussing ways of gaining access to child sexual exploitation material and also expressing desires to have her own child and for it to be sexually abused.”

A government agency funded the treatment for 75 of the woman’s patients, 18 of whom were under 19. Some of her patients had been victims of sexual abuse.

Judge David Sharp sentenced her to 11 months’ home detention but stopped short of adding her name to the sex offenders’ register.

At this week’s hearing, the tribunal opted to cancel the woman’s medical licence and issue a censure.

Jeremy Wilkinson is an Open Justice reporter based in Manawatū, covering courts and justice issues with an interest in tribunals. He has been a journalist for nearly a decade and has worked for NZME since 2022.