GenQ

New security measures have been forced upon a major children's hospital after a man visiting his ill son raped a teenage patient in the next bed.

As his six year old son slept, Raouf Philopos sexually assaulted the girl for more than an hour, while nurses tended to patients in the ward at The Children's Hospital at Westmead.

Following the assault, the 16-year-old victim was readmitted to the same hospital ward after turning to self-harm.

A major review of Westmead's child protection policies has ensued, and resulted in new protocols for overnight stays by carers and the introduction of a formal register of visitors.

The hospital also has a new policy on "Bed allocation at Ward Level" and nurses check rooms every 15 minutes.

The new protocols also demand that children of similar age and gender are placed in rooms together and all overnight bedside carers now have to sign a register or logbook.

"The Children's Hospital at Westmead takes the safety of its patients, staff and visitors very seriously," a hospital spokeswoman said.

"This matter was immediately referred to the police for investigation."

Philopos was sentenced to a maximum 12 years' jail for the offence, which occurred in 2003. This case only came to light last week when his appeal was rejected in the Supreme Court.  

Chief Justice Peter McClelland described the offences as "very serious" and said the victim "is still in a fragile situation".

Philopos' lawyer, Theo Tsambas, of Tsambas and Co Solicitors, said of his client, "He still maintains his innocence and denies that these things occurred."

The court was told that hospital staff had granted Philopos permission to sit in a chair for the night to be with his young son, who was recovering from a severe asthma attack. The victim slept in the next bed, divided by a curtain. She was in hospital suffering depression and severe social phobia.

The court heard that Philopos approached her and started massaging her shoulders and ran his hands to her lower back, waist and thighs. He then indecently assaulted and raped her. The girl only told her psychiatrist later that day, because of her mental illness.

Philopos denied touching the woman when interviewed by police, and said he spent the whole time looking after his sick son.

But he gave different versions of events at his trial and accused the victim of acting in a "very seductive way towards him". Philopos' DNA was found on the victim's breast and semen samples found he could not be excluded as the source of the partial DNA profile. He was charged with six counts of indecent assault and rape.

He appealed on the grounds he was suffering a psychiatric condition at the time of the attack and was not fit to stand trial.

In the appeal judgement, Justice McClelland found there was no suggestion Philopos was suffering a mental disorder at the time.

Justice McClelland said the DNA evidence ensured that he would be convicted.

Tags: rape, sexual abuse