Former Kitchener doctor accused of sexually assaulting patients makes brief court appearance as marathon trial continues
The trial for former neurologist Jeffrey (Scott) Sloka began two and a half years ago, and it remains unclear when there may be a verdict.
Sloka is accused of sexually assaulting dozens of his female patients.
His trial, by judge alone, began in September 2021. Sloka pleaded not guilty to 63 counts of sexual assault.
There were a number of breaks between scheduled dates. Some charges were dropped during the course of the trial. When Sloka began his testimony in August 2023, he was facing 50 counts of sexual assault.
Court heard testimony from Sloka’s former patients, all women who saw him at his private neurology practice at the Kaufman Building at Grand River Hospital.
Patients described receiving breast exams, vaginal exams, or exams while inappropriately draped or completely naked.
The Crown also called an expert witness to speak on the standards for neurological care. Dr. Vera Bril told court that vaginal exams, for instance, are “far outside our standard of practice.”
In August 2023, Sloka took the stand in his own defense, saying he had reasons for conducting breast, pelvic and rectal exams on his patients.
The Crown and defence are now making their submissions to the judge, Justice Craig Parry. Sloka made a brief court appearance Thursday to discuss next steps in the case.
His lawyer, David Humphrey, says the crown has prepared approximately 1,400 pages in written submissions. The defence is in the process of preparing theirs, but says given the volume of the Crown’s submissions, it will take some time.
Sloka will return to court on May 30 for an update on where the process stands.
If you are a victim of sexual assault, help is available. The Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region's 24-hour support line can be reached at 519-741-8633
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Latest updates on air quality alerts, and when the smoke may reach Ontario and Quebec
Wildfires have led Environment Canada to issue air quality advisories for parts of B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, as forecasters warn the smoke could drift farther east.
Steal a car, lose your driver's licence under new Ontario proposal
Repeat car thieves may face lengthy licence bans under proposed changes to Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act.
Ellen DeGeneres addresses the 'hurtful' end of her talk show in new stand-up set
Ellen DeGeneres is reflecting on how her talk show came to an end in her newest Netflix special, 'Ellen's Last Stand ... Up Tour.'
What to pack during an emergency
Knowing what to have at home, or take with you for an evacuation, can be useful and even life-saving.
LIVE UPDATES Star witness returning to the stand for more testimony at Trump's at hush money trial
Donald Trump’s fixer-turned-foe returns to the witness stand Tuesday for a bruising round of questioning from the former president’s lawyers.
B.C. brings in law on name changes on day that child killer's new identity revealed
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
Regulated area for invasive box tree moth expanded to parts of the Maritimes
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has added much of the Maritimes to a regulated area for an invasive species.
Already expensive, planning for fertility treatment difficult as costs vary widely
Being unable to have a child naturally can be extremely difficult. But when you factor in the high costs of fertility treatments, the range of individual circumstances and the fact that the industry itself is secretive about fees, it can make the whole ordeal even more devastating and hard to plan for.
A healthy lifestyle can mitigate genetic risk for early death by 62%, study suggests
Even if your genetics put you at greater risk for early death, a healthy lifestyle could help you significantly combat it, according to a new study.