A doctor found guilty of sexually assaulting a 22-year-old nurse at Limerick General Hospital was given a suspended sentence at Limerick Circuit Court today.
Dr Eamon Walsh (39) originally from Ballina, Co Mayo, but now living in Dublin assaulted the nurse after a staff Christmas party on December 13th 2003. He was found guilty by jury last December and today given a three-year suspended sentence.
Dr Walsh, who is also a qualified vet, had his name temporarily struck from the list of practitioners shortly after his conviction, pending the outcome of an inquiry by the Irish Medical Organisation's Fitness to Practice committee.
He has also been placed on the Register for Sex Offenders, where it will remain for five years.
Judge Carroll Moran said today that he expected Dr Walsh would be permanently struck off the Medical Register.
He said Dr Walsh should receive cognitive therapy, which he would be better able to receive outside of jail.
Judge Moran said he accepted the finding of psychiatrist Dr Patricia Casey who said Dr Walsh had inherited personality traits that caused him to misread signs and certain situations.
However, this could not be regarded as a defence, the judge said.