Doctor who operated without being registered keeps name secret for now

A de-registered doctor who was practising without holding a certificate has won an argument to keep his identity suppressed until his trial has been completed.

The man, aged in his 50s, made a brief appearance before Judge Phillip Cooper in Napier District Court on Thursday, arguing for continuation of interim name suppression.

In August he entered not guilty pleas to 14 charges of practising as a medical practitioner without being registered and five charges of performing an operation he was not permitted to.

The man had once been registered as a medical practitioner, but was not any longer.

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The offending occurred between February and June this year and involved him performing operations on five people.

The man’s lawyer, Mary Nelson, argued that naming the man would cause reputational damage and significant harm to the man, his wife, and their children.

Crown lawyer Fiona Cleary said the submissions made on behalf of the man did not meet the threshold of showing there was a risk of extreme or undue hardship if he was identified.

Judge Cooper said the man did intend to re-register and regain his practising certificate and there would be a risk of extreme and undue hardship if he was identified. He continued the order for interim name suppression until the case was completed.

The man is due to appear in court again in December.