A woman has sobbed in court while detailing the alleged sexual assaults she was subjected to while being treated by a prominent Sydney gynaecologist.
Warning: This article contains descriptions of sexual assault which some readers might find distressing.
Richard Ian Reid is on trial for 16 sexual offences against the woman who attended his clinic in Edgecliff between 2010 and 2014 for treatment of endometriosis.
The woman, who cannot be identified, alleges during multiple consultations Dr Reid roughly penetrated her for his own sexual gratification, tried to kiss her and placed his head between her breasts.
But the former gynaecologist, who once saw patients in various clinics around Sydney, claims her evidence is dishonest and that she is taking legal action to obtain financial advantage.
Today in the NSW District Court he pleaded not guilty to all charges of sexual intercourse without consent and indecency, all of which carry "circumstances of aggravation" as the woman was under his care as a patient.
The woman first saw Dr Reid in 2008 after a recommendation from a friend who described him as a "genius".
He told the complainant he could treat her endometriosis and bleeding haemorrhoids with an "amazing" surgical method he had patented and used successfully in the US.
"He told me he would make my vagina like a 17-year-old's but I told him I didn’t care about that, I just wanted to get rid of the pain," the woman said.
But following the surgery the woman experienced "excruciating pain", blisters, bleeding and she also became incontinent.
"I felt like I was fading away … I did want to die."
She told the court Dr Reid's behaviour changed dramatically during an appointment in May 2010, when he asked her to strip naked, moved her like a "rag doll" onto the examination table and penetrated her as she cried.
The woman claimed he then pulled her over to his chair and further assaulted her as she pleaded for him to stop.
"It was like he was a robot, he didn't look human, it was different," she told the court.
"I could [also] feel he was having an erection."
The woman said she was constantly turning her head away so he couldn't kiss her as he complimented her body and said she would have "no trouble finding someone" despite the injuries to her vagina.
She told the court she was determined not to offend or upset Dr Reid as she knew he was the only doctor who knew exactly what had happened in the surgery, which did not follow mainstream gynaecological practices employed in Australia.
The Crown will make a case that Dr Reid carried out examinations with little or no diagnostic value, and departed from accepted medical practice in several ways including not using gloves while penetrating the patient.
But his lawyer maintains the woman was never completely naked, all examinations were for medical purposes and Dr Reid never had an erection during consultations.
While giving her evidence in court today the woman repeatedly broke down, prompting the judge to adjourn the matter for 24 hours.
"Don't talk about the evidence, think about other things, and come back tomorrow refreshed," Justice Michael Allen said.
Next week, the judge-only trial is expected to hear from a number of medical professionals who will give evidence about accepted gynaecological practices in Australia.
