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Home / New Zealand

Hospital technologist guilty of sexual misconduct against 19-year-old cleaner

Melissa Nightingale
By Melissa Nightingale
Senior Reporter, NZ Herald - Wellington·NZ Herald·
23 Jun, 2020 04:16 AM4 mins to read

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The incident happened while Rejinold Victor Adolf was working at Wairarapa Hospital in Masterton. Photo / Google

The incident happened while Rejinold Victor Adolf was working at Wairarapa Hospital in Masterton. Photo / Google

A hospital technician accused of repeatedly pestering a teenaged cleaner for a massage and trying to stop her from leaving the room has been found guilty of sexual misconduct.

Rejinold Victor Adolf, a medical radiation technologist, has been found guilty by the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal after an incident in which he also told the 19-year-old woman to take off her jacket and lie on her stomach.

Adolf, whose own account of the incident varies widely from the victim's, has been censured and fined $5000 for the offending, which happened in December 2018.

According to the Tribunal's decision, released today, Adolf was working for the Wairarapa DHB on the imaging team at Wairarapa Hospital in Masterton at the time of the incident.

He has not practised since the offending.

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He was on a shift break, staying at the Taku Wāhi whānau house while on call for work.

The victim, who the Tribunal described as "timid and shy" and a "reliable and honest witness", said she was cleaning the whānau house when Adolf came into the room she was in and started to ask "questions that made her feel uncomfortable".

He asked her where she was from, if she lived with her family, whether she was married, and how old she was. He also told her she was pretty and that she had a nice smile.

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At one point Adolf tried to grab the victim's hand while telling her she must be "really strong for a girl".

The victim moved on to cleaning the bedrooms, not realising she was cleaning the one Adolf was staying in.

"The Tribunal is satisfied that he said to [the victim] words to the effect 'every time I sleep in this bed, I get a sore back. You should give me a back massage'."

The victim told him she needed to work, and he continued telling her to give him a massage. He then pushed the door so it was nearly shut and "shoulder-nudged" the victim towards the bed, causing her to sit down.

He then told the victim, who was "in shock and frightened", to take her jacket off and lay on her stomach, before again asking for a massage.

She said "no" and stood up, and Adolf told her "no, just stay for a couple more minutes".

The victim said Adolf grabbed her and hugged her as she tried to leave. In cross-examination she said she was unsure if it was a hug.

He asked her for her name and phone number and tried to kiss her on the forehead before allowing her to leave.

Adolf's version of events is vastly different, including claims the victim made racist comments toward him.

He claimed he was engaging in casual conversation with the victim when she said to him "you outsiders, you come to this country and you take up all the good jobs and we are left with none".

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He said there was a short heated exchange, after which he apologised for getting angry, shook her hand, and left.

The Tribunal rejected Adolf's version of the incident and found him guilty of the victim's account.

In deciding on a penalty, the Tribunal did not choose to suspend Adolf as he has not been practising since the incident.

Tribunal members instead ordered that within six months of recommencing practice in New Zealand, Adolf must demonstrate to the Medical Radiation Technologists Board that he had undertaken appropriate education in ethics and professional boundaries.

For a period of two years, Adolf must also advise any employers and workplaces of the Tribunal's decision.

He has also been censured, fined $5000, and ordered to pay $18,000 towards the costs of the investigation and hearing.

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