A doctor is behind bars after lying during a rape trial, and a "brazen" attempt to manipulate his ex-wife into covering for him, led to a "spectacular fall from grace".
"[His] conduct was dishonest and manipulative, in my assessment. He will not be deterred from such conduct unless he is held accountable," Chief Justice Lucy McCallum said of Imran Kader in the ACT Supreme Court on Friday.
While rape and sexual assault charges against Kader, 39, have been discontinued, the former surgical registrar previously pleaded guilty to perjury and attempting to pervert the course of justice.
The other charges against Kader, 39, were discontinued after two juries were unable to reach verdicts in two separate rape trials.
The doctor, who has been unemployed since the rape allegations, has expressed hope his medical licence may be reinstated.
On Friday, Chief Justice McCallum sentenced Kader to two-years-and-six-months' jail time with a 12-month non-parole period.
While learning of his fate, Kader stood with his hands in his pockets, nodding.
"Cool, thanks," Kader said upon learning he would spend the next year in jail.
Kader had been accused of indecently assaulting a nurse with a toothbrush, then raping her after first meeting at a Braddon bar in November 2019.
The prosecution had alleged Kader tried to physically prevent the nurse from leaving his apartment by throwing her against a wall, near a door, and momentarily holding her there.
In the first trial, which began in February 2022, Kader gave false evidence saying his dog, named Schnitzel, was living with him at the time of the alleged rape.
The dog was, in fact, living with Kader's former wife.
According to an agreed statement of facts, Kader said during his evidence it would not be possible for the nurse to have been pushed against the wall "because there was a large cabinet there, and also the large tub of dog food".
Kader has also admitted to sending an email in June 2022, ahead of his second trial, to his ex-wife, who he has admitted to cheating on.
In the email, he wrote: "There were one or two things that I stated in my evidence that wasn't true. The main thing was regarding the dog."
Kader then sent a series of text messages to his ex-wife, including: "I know I have upset you but what you are doing is more than brutal. Assisting the police to convict me [is] disgraceful ... since you spoke to the police you have put yourself in the thick of my problem."
On Friday, Chief Justice McCallum labelled Kader's persistent "brazenness" in attempting to get former wife to cover his perjury, "cynical and manipulative".
"The lies were not inconsequential. They were told for the purpose of securing an acquittal," the judge said.
"I do not accept that the lies were spontaneous it is clear they were premeditated."
The Chief Justice found Kader's actions had a "dramatic impact on two women", who were both victims of the crimes.
"The complainant in the sexual assault proceedings was plainly a victim of the [perjury and attempt to pervert justice] offences because they were calculated to undermine her credibility," Chief Justice McCallum said.
"[The crimes] strike at the heart of the administration of justice."
The nurse previously told the court in a victim impact statement that during the trial, she had "to fight to be believed over a dog bowl".
"No line of questioning left me more confused than when I was questioned about his dog," she said.
"[Kader] was perfectly happy sitting there and watching me being tortured over this."
Kader will be eligible for release from jail in December 2024.
