Neos Kosmos first became aware of the allegations against Dr Constantine Kyriacou over sexual misconduct following three of his former patients coming forward to share their harrowing stories of inappropriate comments, fondling and sexual assault.
Maria Moutsidis, 61, Sandra Rokebrand, 52, and Suzii Crowley, 49, independently lodged official complaints over their medical consultations at Dr Kyriacou’s practice on Barkers Road in Hawthorn having been far from professional.
Following their statements, it was revealed by The Age that complaints regarding Dr Kyriacou’s misconduct were first raised with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) almost 20 years ago, but a complaint was withdrawn and no action was taken.
AHPRA, which regulates the nation’s health practitioners, is currently under investigation over the long delays with its current probe into Dr Kyriacou, which was finally launched in February 2016 but surprisingly, is still months from being finalised.
Meanwhile, Dr Kyriacou, removed himself from the register of medical practitioners in August 2017 claiming he was suffering from a brain injury, however, it appears he was trying to avoid AHPRA.
“You have questioned how it could be that Dr Kyriacou cannot recall these patients but can deny the alleged actions,” Mr Kyriacou’s lawyer, John Petts from Kennedys, told the press.
“The answer is that when these allegations were first made, Dr Kyriacou was able to provide clear instructions and he denied the allegations,” he added stressing his client’s diagnosis of “significant cognitive impairment”.
Well known Greek Australian actress Maria Moutsidis, also known as Maria Mercedes, said she suffered from panic attacks and chronic anxiety in her early 20s, following her experience as a patient of dr Kyriacou’s.
“I would be asked to stand with Dr Kyriacou standing behind me and him directing me to lean backwards onto him, whereby he proceeded to stretch my body and I would feel his erect penis, pressing behind me,” she said in her sworn statement to AHPRA on 31 January 2018.
“For whatever medical reason that I came to see him, sore throat, anxiety, abdominal pain, he would ask me to fully undress. Always,” she said in a disturbing report.
Ms Crowley and Ms Rokebrand who are represented by Arnold Thomas & Becker, also lodged writs in the Supreme Court that accusing Dr Kyriacou of sexual assault and professional misconduct.
Following the publication of their stories several other women have come forward, contacting police and AHPRA sharing similar stories.