A number of former female patients of a Cork doctor found guilty of professional misconduct have told the High Court they were left feeling humiliated, angry and uncomfortable as a result of his treatment of them. Dr James Barry had "ruined her life", one woman said.
Dr Barry (81), of Lauriston Lodge, Glanmire, Cork, is challenging the Medical Council's decision of September 12th last, to strike his name from the medical register after he was found guilty of professional misconduct arising from conducting inappropriate internal examinations of female patients and secretly videotaping them while he was conducting examinations.
A former patient yesterday said her life "was ruined" by Dr Barry after he removed her clothing and penetrated her with his finger. Another woman said she was made to take her clothes off in his surgery although she had attended only with a cough.
Two other women said that when they were pregnant, Dr Barry had suggested they opt for abortion.
Another said Dr Barry removed a medical glove while giving her an internal examination. The women cannot be named for legal reasons.
In proceedings before Mr Justice Peter Charleton, Dr Barry contends he was denied fair procedures by the Medical Council and its Fitness to Practise Committee.
Ms C, a former patient, said she had attended Dr Barry in the early 1980s when she was aged 14 and had received hypnotic treatment for an eating disorder. She told Eoin McCullough SC, for the Medical Council, she remembered the last time she attended his surgery. She was told by Dr Barry to close her eyes and think of something nice. She said Dr Barry penetrated her with his finger, told her this was "normal" and everything was "okay".
She was not able to move until after Dr Barry had clicked his fingers. When she sat up her school uniform had been removed.
She said she did not tell anyone because she felt nobody would believe her. When, some years later, she went back to Dr Barry's surgery to get a prescription to treat ringworm on her hands and legs, Dr Barry told her to remove her top, which she refused to do.
Cross-examined by Dr Barry, Ms C strongly disagreed she had imagined the incidents referred to. She told Dr Barry he had "ruined her life" because he had done this when she was "still a child."
Ms B said she attended Dr Barry for a number of complaints including back pain during the early 1990s. The treatments did not work. On one occasion, she saw Dr Barry remove his glove when carrying out an internal examination of her.
A third witness, Ms H, said Dr Barry gave her an internal examination the first time she attended his surgery in 1983 with a skin condition on her face. In 1995, he had examined her in an inappropriate way and had not asked her permission to carry out certain procedures or had explained to her what he was doing.
Under cross-examination, Ms H disagreed that Dr Barry had treated her in a responsible way. When she was pregnant, Dr Barry told her that she could have an abortion. Dr Barry denied that claim and said he was against abortion.
The case continues today.