DENTAL SURGEON AND HIS WOMEN PATIENTS

Chronicle (Levin), 22 October 1947, Page 7

DENTAL SURGEON AND HIS WOMEN PATIENTS

WELLINGTON, Oet. 21. Evidenee 011 the lines of that given in the Magistrate's Court was heard before the Ohief Justice, Sir Humphrey O'Leary, and jury in the Supreme Court, .when Gordon McCallum, dental surgeon, aged 42, appeared for trial on eight charges of indecent assault 011 females. A ninth charge was adjourned for hearing at the- next sitting of tne Supreme Court as the principal witness is ill. Opening tlie, case for the Crown, Mr. W. H. Cunningliam said the issue in the case would depend largely 011 the explanation of accused that his actions had been to ascertain whether patients were wearing tight clothing which could have had ill effects when an anaesthetic was admiuistered and the prosecution 's eontent-ion that there was a prirna facie case of indecent assault. The prosecution alleged that while feruale patients were under an anaesthetic, McCallum indecently interfered with them. , Mr. W. E. Leicester, who appeared with' Mr. C. H. Arndt for accused, produced photographs of the surgery and buildings adjacent when cross-exainin-ing /Sergeant C. E. Tanner who was in charge of the police investigations. The photographs showed that the top of the extraction room wmdow was frosted and a portion of the bottoni covered b\ net curtains. There was aiso a curtam hanging to oue side of the window. Sergeant Tanner said the lower curtains were there at the time of the investiga tion but he could not say about the frosted window. One witness said she thought there wac a nurse in the surgery throughout the extraction operation. Another said a nurse was present at the beginning and at the end of the operation. Another witness said she had been to accused for treatment since the lower court hearing. She went, however, mainly for financial reasons. • Constable C. \V. Naylor gave evidenee of hour he and another constable watclied accused 's movements with peri sc'opes from an adjacent buildiug froni June y till June 30. He was giving evidenee when the court adjourned tili tomorrow. The case is expected to last till Friday.