London surgeon charged with sexual assault, hospitals pull his privileges
A London plastic surgeon is facing a sexual assault charge months after local hospitals suspended his privileges to practise there.
London Police charged Robert Richards, a plastic surgeon in London with sexual assault, on Aug. 11 according to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario.
Richards previously practised at the London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) and St. Joseph's Roth-McFarlane Hand and Upper Limb Centre. He specializes in hand and wrist surgery, nerve surgery, and plastic surgery.
Richards could not be reached for comment on Sunday.
In June, LHSC and St. Joseph's Health Centre London notified the college that his privileges were suspended effective May 27. Two days later Richards resigned from hospital practice.
Richards was also a former associate professor at the Schulich school of Medicine & Dentistry and resigned in May, as stated on the school’s website.
Western declined to speak to Richards specifically, while a spokesperson for the university stated “As a condition of appointment to Western, all clinical academics must maintain a valid certificate with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario and an appointment to the active medical staff of an affiliated hospital/institution.”
He was released on bail with conditions, including refraining from communicating with the individual and cannot be within 200 metres of any known place affiliated with the named person, the notice read on the college’s website.
It's unclear if Richards is still practising at Feel Better Wellness, which the regulator lists as his primary location of practice in London.
London police were unable to provide a comment by deadline.
On Tuesday, LHSC confirmed Richard's hospital privileges had been revoked.
"Physician privileges to practice medicine at London Health Sciences Centre are considered, granted and maintained through a comprehensive credentialing process that is aligned with the conduct, values and principles expected of a professional member of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario," LHSC said in a statement.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What weather experts say to expect this summer in Canada
Get ready to feel the heat, Canada. Weather experts are predicting more sunshine and warmer temperatures for the summer.
New COVID-19 subvariants become the dominant strains in Canada
More than four years after COVID-19 effectively shut down the world, two new variants of COVID-19 have become the dominant strains of the novel coronavirus in Canada.
Israel sends tanks into Rafah on raids amid Gaza-wide offensive
Israeli tanks mounted raids across Rafah in defiance of the World Court for a second day on Wednesday, after Washington said the assault did not amount to a major ground operation in the southern Gazan city that U.S. officials have warned Israel to avoid.
Tessa Virtue reveals she's expecting her first child. Here's what Canadians had to say
Canadian figure-skating icon Tessa Virtue is expecting her first child, she revealed via social media Tuesday.
Five more Ontario school boards join lawsuit against social media platforms
Five additional Ontario school boards and two independent private schools have joined a lawsuit against the owners of multiple social media platforms, including Snapchat, TikTok, and Facebook.
P.E.I. kiteboarder 'lucky to be alive' after shark attack in Turks and Caicos
A professional kiteboarder from P.E.I. says he has been seriously injured in a shark attack that occurred while he was snorkelling in the Turks and Caicos Islands last week.
'Unruly passenger' forces WestJet flight to make emergency landing in B.C.
A WestJet flight heading to Calgary had to make an emergency landing in northern B.C. Monday due to an incident involving an 'unruly passenger,' Mounties say.
In bizarre provocation, North Korea flies trash, manure balloons over the South
North Korea flew hundreds of balloons carrying trash and manure toward South Korea in one of its most bizarre provocations against its rival in years, prompting the South’s military to mobilize chemical and explosive response teams to recover objects and debris in different parts of the country.
Introducing peanut butter during infancy can help protect against a peanut allergy later on, new study finds
New evidence suggests that feeding children smooth peanut butter during infancy and early childhood can help reduce their risk of developing a peanut allergy even years later.