Doctor pleads guilty to sexual assault

A Vernon doctor facing six charges of sexual assault has pleaded guilty to one of the charges.

The BC Prosecution Service says Dr. Peter Inkpen entered the guilty plea in Vernon provincial court on Thursday, Feb. 29.

He was to have gone to trial on the charge on March 4.

The BCPS says that trial has now been cancelled due to the plea and Inkpen will return to court March 6 to fix a date for sentencing.

His trial for another sexual assault charge has been underway since Monday, Feb. 26, and he faces another four charges from other complainants.

Police began an investigation when a female victim reported she had been sexually assaulted by her physician which eventually led to Inkpen’s arrest in July 2022.

Due to the accused’s profession, Mounties put out an appeal for any other potential victims to come forward, and that led to four more charges being laid in January 2024.

Inkpen, 43, was a pain management specialist at the time.

Publication bans are in place to protect the identities of the victims.