Central News, Press Room, Central Criminal Court,
Central News, Press Room, Central Criminal Court, Old Bailey, LONDON, EC4.
Tel: 020 7236 0116.
Pix: 020 7329 2877.
General Medical Council/ Colin Fernandez
eMail: news@centralnews.
co.
uk
http://www.
centralnews.
co.
uk
04 December 2001
today pix of galea available
slap.
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An anaesthetist today (Tues) admitted undoing a nurse’s bra in the operating theatre in what he described as ‘the usual carry-on.
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Dr Paul Galea said hospital staff often joked about women’s chests.
‘For some unknown reason breasts were a common subject of discussion, teasing and observation.
‘
But the doctor said he accepted he ‘overstepped the mark.
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Dr Galea said that he was often the butt of jokes, and sometimes he would ‘wince’ at sexual comments made by other members of staff.
‘I took part in a lot, and I was present at a lot,’ he said.
Dr Galea broke down in tears as he told how staff would call him ‘short, fat, and past it.
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Asked if he needed a break he said: ‘I would rather finish this now than prolong it.
This is torture.
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‘They loved the fact I was under my wife’s thumb.
She was the butt of a lot of jokes.
I said: ”I’ll bring her here and she’ll scratch your eyes out.
”
‘I was quite convinced that what I was doing and saying was well within the standard they themselves set.
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In what he called the ‘usual carry-on’, Dr Galea said he would typically joke about taking nurses on trips to Brighton – as long as the nurse would pay.
‘I would say I’ve not got much money.
My wife doesn’t give me much pocket money.
‘.
Describing how he unfastened one nurse’s bra, Dr Galea said the nurse – a keen belly dancer – gave him a warm hug.
He went on to tell how he later saw her in the kitchen and decided undo her bra.
‘Some time later my hand started moving down, I don’t know why, it went to her waist.
‘I may have commented to her she was wearing a bra, that was extremely unusual, I think.
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Dr Galea explained the woman – a keep-fit fanatic
normally wore a sports vest.
‘When I felt her bra I thought this was amusing, and unfortunately yielded to temptation.
‘I said the hooks are sticking out.
I bet I can open them.
She turned her back to me.
In that case, I
said: ”I’ll pop them,” and did.
‘She just let me.
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The doctor said the nurse ‘co-operated’ but accepted this was not appropriate behaviour ‘except in a nightclub when both of you are drunk’.
‘I regret it very much,’ Dr Galea added.
Later the nurse told him she ‘had gone back to
wearing vests.
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He did the same trick with another nurse in 1995 – this time in an operating theatre.
The doctor said: ‘I must stress at no stage was I courting her or pursuing her.
‘I was always just childish and theatrical.
It was done in a very exaggerated manner.
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‘I went over and saw what she was doing, and as was quite usual in those days I put my hand on her shoulder.
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‘I spoke for a minute or two and talked about her bra hooks sticking out.
It was the same sequence of events.
She said ”Let’s see you do it.
”
The doctor said he undid both clips, at which the woman said, ”You swine, you did it.
”
On another occasion, Dr Galea walked his fingers ‘theatrically’ up the same nurse’s arm as she squeezed a patient’s arm to get a vein to stick out.
‘When I got to her elbow she said: ”That’s as far as you go, mate”.
‘I said something like: ”Oh, you could not run away.
‘
‘She went on: ‘I’ve got two good knees, and you would never know what hit you.
‘She seemed rather pleased to tell me this.
‘
In a later incident, Dr Galea threw a dental roll – a small swab – down a nurse’s top ‘for target practice’.
When he succeeded the nurse ‘guffawed’.
The nurse started shaking her breasts – which were so large they gave her backache – but could not get the swab out.
‘I said: ”I’ll take it out for you,” the doctor continued.
Denying that he had kissed her Dr Galea said: ‘I’m not much over five foot.
I’d have to stand on a stool to reach her.
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He added he was stunned that the woman objected to his behaviour.
‘It is a very shattering experience.
Very horrifying, thought to think anything done, is unwelcome is very bad.
It’s a horrible idea in itself.
‘
The hearing continues.
ends
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