A Calgary psychiatrist alleged to have subjected gay soldiers and conscientious objectors to electric shock “cures” in apartheid South Africa was convicted Jan 28 of sexually abusing three male patients.
Jurors acquitted Aubrey Levin on two of the nine charges he faced, The Calgary Herald reported.
Jurors told Calgary Court of Queen’s Bench Justice Donna Shelley they were unable to come to a consensus on the other four. Shelley ordered a mistrial on those counts after the four-month trial.
The so-called “Dr Shock” was found guilty of sexually assaulting the main complainant, known as RB. The man had videotaped his last two sessions with Levin on March 3 and March 16, 2010, on a spy wristwatch video. The second video showed Levin fondling RB for nearly 15 minutes.
Outside court, Crown prosecutor Bill Wister praised RB for coming forward, despite his record of criminal convictions, mental illness, and drug and alcohol addictions. “For him to step forward and be the catalyst at stopping this abuse, as ironic as it is, the community owes him a gratitude.”
The Crown is suggesting a sentence of up to seven years for the 74-year-old. Sentencing proceedings are set to start Jan 30. Levin remains free on bail.
One juror was dismissed as the case neared its end when she told the judge a woman had offered her money. Levin’s wife, Erica, was cited for contempt and banned from the court and from going anywhere near jurors. She faces a contempt hearing March 5 and was placed under house arrest.
Defence lawyer Allan Fay told The Canadian Press that the trial has affected Levin’s wife psychologically, physically and emotionally.
“She’s been cut off from her friends. She hasn’t even attended her place of worship for three years,” Fay said. “This is a woman who’s basically at the end of her rope.”
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