A former neurologist accused of sexually assaulting 48 of his female patients has been acquitted.
Justice Craig Parry ruled that he is satisfied there was a valid medical reason for examinations Jeffrey Sloka performed at his Kitchener clinic.
The verdict comes nine years after the first complaints were made about the doctor to Ontario’s regulatory body, and following a four-and-a-half year criminal trial.
The complainants in the case were all female patients who were seen at Sloka’s urgent neurology clinic between 2010 and 2017.
In court, they described receiving vaginal exams, breast exams or exams of other intimate areas during appointments for neurological concerns.
The criminal trial began in September 2021. The Crown made the case that Sloka used medical examination as a ruse to gain access to the bodies of female patients for sexual purposes.
The defense said Sloka had a valid medical justification for his investigations, examinations and treatments.
After listening to more than 160 days of evidence, and going through thousands of pages of written submissions from the Crown and defense, as well as verbal arguments in court, Justice Craig Parry reached his verdict. The written decision was 1,002 pages long.
Parry largely rejected the expert testimony of Dr. Vera Bril, who told court in her opinion, the exams Sloka did aren’t typically done by neurologists.
As for the women who testified, Parry said he found their evidence unreliable.
After the judge announced he had acquitted Sloka on all counts, some of the women in the courtroom began crying. A number got up and walked out. One called out “shameful, shameful” as she left.
Source: Former neurologist Jeffery Sloka acquitted on all count of sexual assault