A District Court jury has found a Perth psychologist not guilty of sexually assaulting a bulimic patient when he used a cat-o’-nine tails whip, a dog collar and sado-masochism in treatment sessions as part a type of role play therapy to help treat her bulimia and repeated violent relationships.
Despite admitting he used bondage and discipline equipment to treat a young female patient who he told he wanted to “have a taste of”, Bruce Alistair Beaton, 64, of Fremantle, was tonight cleared of four counts of indecent assault and one of aggravated sexual penetration of a 22-year-old woman at his practice between January and March 2005.
But Beaton was convicted of contempt of court after refusing to identify a colleague who advised him about psychologists who treated BDSM bondage, discipline and sado-masochism.
The psychologist was charged with whipping the woman and performing oral sex on her at his practice between January and March 2005.
The woman told the court that Mr Beaton ordered her to call him master and obey him during sessions.
She said he ordered her to take off her clothes during sessions and claimed he used a coat hanger and a homemade cat-o’-nine tails to whip her.
Mr Beaton had admitted to sado-masochistic role-play with his patient and cracking a whip and a bent coathanger next to her.
He also admitted asking her to bring in a dog collar and leash, a school uniform, a whip, and a paddle.
Mr Beaton had denied having a sexual relationship with the woman.
He also denied hitting the woman, saying he only struck a couch she was lying on as part a type of role play therapy to help treat her bulimia and repeated violent relationships.
Mr Beaton’s lawyer Jeremy Scudds said the alleged victim was a habitual liar who liked sado-masochism and Mr Beaton was simply trying to connect with her.
But Prosecutor Amanda Forrester said Mr Beaton had taken advantage of the very vulnerable woman under the guise of treatment.
