Dentist cleared of sex assault charge

A DENTIST who was convicted last year of sexually assaulting a trainee dental nurse was cleared yesterday of sexually assaulting another trainee dental nurse at his practice.

John Tait, 58, of Glen House, Upper Rochestown, Cork, who has been based at 6 St Patrick’s Terrace in Douglas, Co Cork, for 30 years, was acquitted of the single charge at Cork District Court after Judge Leo Malone said he had a doubt about the veracity of the complainant’s evidence.

Last October, Mr Tait was convicted of sexually assaulting a trainee dental nurse after Judge Tim Lucey ruled that he believed the dentist’s motives were indecent when he opened buttons on her tunic.

Mr Tait, who was found not guilty of two other charges of sexual assault at the time, was fined €1,000. He is appealing the conviction.

Yesterday, Mr Tait pleaded not guilty to a charge of sexually assaulting another trainee dental nurse at his clinic.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, alleged the assault took place after Mr Tait approached her in the lab of his clinic to conduct a “mid-line examination” to check the alignment of her teeth.

She alleged that he had asked her to undo some buttons on her top, had asked her to remove her vest, had put one of his hands on her chest bone, and had moved her breasts from side to side.

She also alleged that he told her that the wire in her bra was in the way and he asked her to consider taking it off.

She refused and alleged that Mr Tait said “you don’t have anything I haven’t seen before”, and laughed, calling her a “prude”.

She said she felt very uncomfortable and told a friend a few days later, and complained to a colleague a few days after that. The colleague said the woman told her that Mr Tait had touched her inappropriately and interfered with her clothing in some way.

The complainant told the court that, at the time, she did not regard it as a sexual assault. She said she had not come forward sooner “out of fear” and because she claimed Mr Tait had told her he performed “free dental work on barristers, and members of their family to keep them in his pocket”.

Under cross-examination by Mr Tait’s solicitor, Frank Buttimer, the colleague said she advised the complainant to raise the issue directly with Mr Tait first, rather than contact the Gardaí.

In October 2008, Gardaí investigating another matter approached the woman and she gave a statement in which the allegations were made.

Mr Tait admitted examining the woman’s teeth and measuring the range of movement of her jaws, but rejected conducting the exam alleged by the woman and the allegation of sexual assault.

He described the allegation as “appalling” and said that it has had a “devastating” effect on him.

“It has caused ongoing stress and trauma for me and my family,” he said.

“It has taken up every minute of my life, and that of my family. I deny totally any sexual assault. It just didn’t happen.”

Dismissing the charge, Judge Malone said the woman’s complaint to her colleague made no reference to a sexual assault and he found it hard to believe that the complainant stayed working with Mr Tait for some months afterwards.