Alleged Michael Shine victim told himself for years nothing improper was done

An alleged victim of a retired surgeon who denies groping teenage boys has said he told himself for years there was nothing improper about what the doctor allegedly did.

The complainant told the trial of Michael Shine (85) that during an examination of his testes the doctor massaged the base of his penis.

Mr Shine, of Wellington Road, Dublin, denies eight charges of indecently assaulting patients at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital and at his private clinic, both in Drogheda, on dates between 1964 and 1991.

On day five of the trial on Monday, the sixth complainant testified that in 1975 he collapsed at school and was sent to his GP. His GP referred him to Mr Shine and during an examination Mr Shine diagnosed bilateral undescended testicles and a hernia on both sides.

Follow-up examinations

Mr Shine later operated on him and corrected the issues. The complainant said he later attended at Mr Shine’s clinic for follow-up examinations. He was aged around 15 at the time. He said during these examinations, Mr Shine would occasionally have touched his penis but in the context he did not consider it unusual at the time and it did not bother him.

He told Cathleen Noctor BL, prosecuting, there were two later incidents that he did consider a problem at the time. On the first occasion, he testified, the doctor asked him if he had a difficulty having an erection. The complainant said he considered this a legitimate question. He said Dr Shine then proceeded to massage the base of his penis and said to the patient “not to worry”. The witness said he thought this was legitimate too but said he did not want to get an erection.

“I tried not to think about what was happening. I didn’t want to get an erection. I felt that was the purpose of it,” he said.

He said on the next appointment with Dr Shine, the doctor again massaged the base of his penis. The witness said he again wanted to avoid becoming erect so he decided to ejaculate.

The trial continues before Judge Cormac Quinn and a jury of four men and eight women.