Man who posed as gynaecologist jailed for three years

A man who posed as a gynaecologist, sexually assaulting a woman in her twenties and conning her into paying him €4,000 for treatment at a clinic in Switzerland was jailed for three years yesterday.

Cork Circuit Criminal Court heard that John Wilkins posed as a doctor working at Cork University Maternity Hospital. He is not a medical doctor and has no connection with the facility.

However, in September 2014 he booked in to a hotel in Cork city centre and struck up a conversation with a hotel worker. He was wearing a stethoscope around his neck and had a doctors credentials card with the name Dr Eric Steinhauen.

The young woman told him she was suffering from thrush and he offerered to treat her at his clinic in Zurich for a reduced fee. The woman had suffered from pelvic problems for some time and thought Wilkins was genuine.

Earlier this year English national John Wilkins pleaded guilty that on dates between September 11th and September 20th, 2014, he represented himself as a medical practitioner.

He was also charged with sexually assaulting the young woman on September 18th last year.

Wilkins, who is of no fixed abode, admitted that on September 22nd last he induced the woman to pay €4,000 for the services he offered, namely gynaecologist services at a clinic in Switzerland, with the intention of making a gain for himself.

The case, which was investigated by Detective Garda Denis Callanan, had been due to go to trial earlier this year but Mr Wilkins pleaded guilty at the last juncture. He was remanded in custody for sentencing yesterday.

Det Garda Callanan said Wilkins travelled to the victim’s house on September 18th by prior arrangement to do a physical on her before she travelled to Zurich.

He brought her to a spare bedroom where in the pretence of carrying out a physical exam he sexually assaulted her. He also pretended to give her a breast exam.

The young woman handed him €4,000 in cash which she had withdrawn from the credit union. She got an email in the name of Dr Steinhausen confirming the cash payment.

The woman looked up Zurich medical clinics online and found a doctor with that name so she thought Wilkins was a legitimate medical practitioner. In November 2014 she realised he wasn’t the named person and contacted gardaí.

On December 2nd, Wilkins, who claims to be an Austrian national, was taken to Togher Garda Station in Cork for questioning. He admitted using an alias but denied other allegations put to him.

Judge Sean O’Donnabhain heard the accused has 22 previous convictions mostly for false representations to make gains. He has changed his name by deed poll on at least two occasions.

In her victim impact statement the woman said she was forever changed by what had happened to her.

“He appeared to be a gentleman. He was so professional. He said he would get my problems solved in Zurich. I believed he was genuine. I just felt it was a great opportunity. I was deceived so badly. I feel so degraded and embarrassed and ashamed. He sexually abused me for his own sexual gratification. I trusted him. I have been torn apart by his actions.”

Judge O’Donnabhain said the accused had shown “no great remorse”.

“He took the innocence of this victim and seriously abused it. It took an amount of preplanning.”

He jailed Mr Wilkins for three years.

Separately, Wilkins appeared last November at Cork District Court after he ran up a series of bills at three hotels.

He was charged with obtaining hotel services by deception at three Cork hotels between October 2nd and October 17th.

He pleaded guilty after running up bills of more than €2,500 for accommodation and meals at the three hotels.

In Dublin last November, Wilkins was sentenced to six months in prison after he was charged with posing as a doctor to avoid paying his bill at a south Dublin hotel for a week.

Dublin district court heard that Wilkins had deceived staff at the Sandymount Hotel, who provided accommodation and meals, claiming he was a consultant gynaecologist at a Dublin hospital.

He pleaded guilty to one count of deception having run up a bill of just over €1,000 at the Dublin Hotel in May 2014.