Doctor pleads guilty to assaulting female colleague
A DOCTOR who assaulted a female colleague in a row over parking at Tallaght Hospital has had his case further adjourned for sentencing by Tallaght District Court.
Fei Tan, aged 37, with an address at Hillview Estate, Ballinteer, had pleaded guilty to assaulting his colleague in the car park of Tallaght Hospital on March 23, 2017.
Tallaght District Court
Tan was before Judge Patricia McNamara for sentencing and a restorative justice services report.
Sergeant Michael Ahern had told the court that Tan had parked his car blocking in the injured party’s car.
She then called and asked him to move it. He said there was limited parking at Tallaght Hospital and workers regularly double parked their vehicles and left contact numbers on the windscreen.
Sergeant Ahern said the injured party was sitting in her car and rolled down the window when Tan returned to his car. Tan then spat at her and verbally abused her. She told him to calm down and he slapped her in the face and threatened her.
Tan’s counsel said evidence which was heard during Tallaght Hospital’s internal investigation was a little different.
He said the victim accepted she started shouting first and that she had pushed Tan.
Tan pushed her back and struck her.
The court heard that Tan had never been in trouble before.
His counsel said a criminal conviction could destroy his career.
He said Tan was a married father of two and had studied at the Royal College of Surgeons and later completed a doctorate in UCD.
He said Tan is now working as a senior registrar at St James’s Hospital.
Judge McNamara adjourned the case for sentencing and to allow Tan complete voluntary work.
