Monday 4 February 2002

A Melbourne doctor allegedly performed surgery on his 37-year-old patient's penis without consent, telling him circumcision would bring him success with women, a hearing was told today.

The Medical Practitioners Board of Victoria is investigating Dr Christopher Towie for professional misconduct during a single consultation at a Broadmeadows clinic in May 2000.

During the consultation, which went for longer than normal, Dr Towie allegedly told the man, now 39, that the top part of his foreskin was the source of his problems with women.

A notice of the allegations being considered by the board hearing today reads: "You told your patient that circumcision would help get him girls by making his penis appear bigger."

The precise extent of the "surgical procedure" carried out by the general practitioner was not revealed before the hearing was closed.

Dr Towie allegedly interrupted the consultation to attend another patient, leaving the man with his "pants down and sexually aroused" before giving him some cream and telling him to masturbate.

He is also accused of telling his patient that his history of self mutilation was normal and offering to send him to "places where S and M leather things happen" or organising "a girl for the purposes of sex".

The hearing continues in camera.