A racing team doctor who played with himself near
A racing team doctor who played with himself near a woman and her 10-year-old daughter was reprimanded by the General Medical Council today.
(Tues)
Mervyn Wheeler, 37, parked his car near mother-of-three Elaine Quinn and stared at her through his mirror while trying to cover himself with a magazine.
Wheeler, who was working with the World Championship rally team Subaru Pro-Drive, later claimed he thought he was in private.
The doctor was arrested as he left the motorway service station in Oxfordshire following the incident at around 5.
20pm on September 22, 2000.
A conduct committee of the GMC found him guilty of serious professional misconduct for his indecent and inappropriate behaviour.
Professor Ken Hobbs said: ‘The committee take a very serious view of Dr Wheeler’s conduct which could damage the reputation of his profession.
‘They accept that this appears to be an isolated event in an otherwise unblemished career and they have noted the serious consequences this has had on his career.
‘They have decided to conclude his case with a strong reprimand which will remain on his record.
‘
Wheeler lost his job with Pro-Drive, based in Banbury, Oxfordshire, after being bound over to keep the peace at North Oxfordshire Magistrates.
The South African was also fined pnds stlg 50 at the hearing on February 6, 2001, for possessing two lumps of cannabis resin at his arrest.
Elaine Quinn had told of her shock at seeing the doctor exposing himself at the Cherwell Valley Services car park on junction 10 of the M40.
She said: ‘I looked over because I was talking to my daughter.
He was actually looking at me.
‘It was strange.
It was not a normal glance, it was quite a stare.
‘We got out of the car and I noticed he had pushed his chair right back and moved his mirror.
‘He was starting in the mirror at us, he could obviously see me and my daughter.
‘I realised what he was doing.
I could see him masturbate, it was erect.
‘
She sent her daughter to get security staff from the service station and her ex-husband tried to block in Wheeler to prevent him leaving.
The doctor, who has also worked at Silverstone and for Hyundai and Mitsubishi, managed to get away but was soon stopped by police a short distance away.
He never formally admitted outraging public decency in court and no evidence was offered.
The conduct committee found he had acted indecently, inappropriately and in a manner liable to bring the profession into disrepute after hearing from Mrs Quinn.
Wheeler, who now lives in Rambla Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain, did not appear at the hearing.
ends
