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05 Dec 2014
Mr Bharath Devadas - permanently disqualified from applying for registration as a physiotherapist.
The tribunal handed down its reasons for its decision on 10 October, finding unanimously that Mr Devadas’ conduct constituted professional misconduct. The tribunal recognised that the victim suffered greatly as a result of this crime, and that her anguish was compounded by a criminal trial, which was needed because Mr Devadas did not admit guilt.
The tribunal permanently disqualified Mr Devadas from registration because his conduct was so serious and inconsistent with what is expected of a physiotherapist.
The reasons for the decision are on the AustLII website.
The South Australian Health Practitioners Tribunal has ordered that physiotherapist Mr Bharath Devadas be permanently disqualified from applying for registration as a physiotherapist in Australia.
The Physiotherapy Board of Australia prosecuted its case against Mr Devadas in the tribunal, after he was convicted of rape in late 2012. When he was charged in 2011 and pending the tribunal hearing, the SA Board of the Physiotherapy Board of Australia had restricted Mr Devadas’ registration and prevented him from consulting with female patients.
Mr Devadas failed to appear at the tribunal hearing on 11 July 2014, and the tribunal ordered that the matter proceed ex parte.
The tribunal ordered the:
The tribunal will hand down formal reasons for decision on 10 October at 10.25am.
Download a PDF of this Media release - Physiotherapist permanently disqualified for professional misconduct - 5 December 2014 (115 KB,PDF)