Courts / Dublin / Report

Prosecution finishes case in trial of surgeon accused of indecent assault

Summary

The prosecution case in the trial of retired surgeon Michael Shine, aged 85, has concluded. Shine, who denies the allegations, faced eight charges of indecent assault against teenage patients at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital and his private clinic in Drogheda between 1964 and 1991. Six male witnesses testified that Shine allegedly groped their genitalia during medical examinations for various injuries. On the seventh day, expert medical witness Richard Stephens explained to the prosecution that there is no medical necessity for genital examinations in such cases, while to the defense he noted that examining the groin in a male trauma patient can be reasonable. He clarified that a brief, appropriate examination of the groin, with a sheet covering the testes, is not inherently wrong. The trial will continue before Judge Cormac Quinn and a jury of four men and eight women. Shine maintains his innocence for all alleged incidents.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Prosecution finishes case in trial of surgeon accused of indecent assault. Procedural stage: trial

When:

• 1964 and 1991 Other
• 1964 and 1965 Other
• 1970 and 1972 Other
• 1975 and 1976 Other
• 1988 and 1991 Other
• 1973 and 1974 Other
• 2017-10-25 Publication

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Trial Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report