This matter was heard by the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal on 24 August 2021. The Tribunal found that the medical practitioner engaged in professional misconduct by communicating to make a child amenable to sexual activity. See Medical Board of Australia v Balasubramanian [2021] SACAT 53 (on AUSTLII).
The dooctor had a profile on an internet chat site and followed a number of hashtags, including #SouthAustralianTeens and #AdelaideTeens. It was alleged he initiated and engaged in a private conversation with a covert police officer on a social media platform. On 23 March 2020, the doctor made a plea of guilty in the District Court of South Australia and was convicted on 15 May 2020 of communicating to make a child amenable to sexual activity. On 9 June 2020, he was sentenced to a term of imprisonment.
The tribunal noted that although the conduct did not take place in the course of his line of work, the doctor clearly thought he was grooming a minor for sex which is completely incompatible with the standards expected of a medical practitioner. In addition to a finding of professional misconduct, the tribunal imposed a reprimand and cancelled the doctor’s registration. He was disqualified from applying for re-registration as a registered health practitioner for a period of seven years; and from providing any health service for a period of seven years.