Former doctor faces prison term after admitting to three sexual assaults, led away in handcuffs

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A former Vernon doctor is facing several years in prison after pleading guilty to three charges of sexual assault.

Peter Inkpen was led out of the Vernon courtroom in handcuffs by a sheriff on Thursday after his sentencing hearing in provincial court, even though he has yet to be officially sentenced.

Inkpen had his bail revoked at his own request, as he wanted to start serving his sentence as soon as possible.

“He has some compelling reasons for wanting to begin his sentence today. If it’s possible, we would propose he be taken into custody to begin serving his time,” Inkpen’s lawyer, Michael Gismondi, told Judge George Levan, who granted the request.

Inkpen, 44, pled guilty in February to one count of sexual assault of a female patient, and on Thursday, he entered two more guilty pleas to sexual assault which the Crown said involved women who worked at his pain rehabilitation clinic in Vernon.

The Crown and defence submitted a joint sentencing recommendation to Judge Levan, calling for a global sentence of three-and-a-half-years in prison.

Crown lawyer Alison Buchanan said the 42-month sentence was broken down as follows: 36 months for the sexual assault of the patient and three month consecutive jail sentences for each of the counts involving the clinic staff.

The female patient, who was watching the hearing by video, and later in the courtroom due to technical difficulties with the system, read out her victim impact statement.

“The first part is the emotional impact. Since the offence, I have not felt safe in my home, in my body nor in my mind. My emotional pain and suffering have become unmanageable. I’m living in a chronic state of hopelessness, chronic fear and panic,” the victim stated.

The woman, who also deals with ongoing physical pain and had has suicidal thoughts, added her mind “is constantly bombarded with flashbacks, images and thoughts of the offence.”

The woman initially went to Inkpen for help managing her chronic pain.

“He was in a position of power and I knew I depended on him. He manipulated me for his own gratification. I did what he asked me because I was desperate to not be in pain, or be back in a wheelchair.”

Prosecutor Buchanan read out an agreed statement of facts on the offences.

She said Inkpen was the female patient’s (FP) doctor from 2018 to 2020.

“In July of 2018, Dr. Inkpen asked [FP] to have lunch with him at a winery in Lake Country. After they ate lunch, Dr. Inkpen attempted to kiss [FP] but she pulled away. During a medical appointment on Sept. 13, 2018, Dr. Inkpen performed oral sex on [FP]. She did not consent to Dr. Inkpen performing oral sex on her. Dr. Inkpen believed that [FP] was consenting, but [FP] did not communicate her consent to him.”

Buchanan said during the same appointment, FP performed oral sex on Inkpen which she did not consent to.

On Sept. 21, 2018, Inkpen met FP at her house and they had sexual intercourse, which Buchanan said FP did not consent to.

“Dr. Inkpen did not take reasonable steps to confirm that [FP] was consenting.”

FP contracted a bacterial vaginal disease as a result of the encounter, and Inkpen prescribed a medication for it.

As for the charges connected to two employees at his clinic, one worked as a personal assistant to Inkpen and office manager from 2011 to 2013.

Buchanan said the female was asked by Inkpen to assist him with practice sessions using an EMG machine which is used to test for nerve problems, and using a bedside ultra-sound machine used to diagnose various conditions.

The woman agreed to volunteer and participated in many practice sessions with Inkpen, many with just them in the treatment room.

“During several lower-body sessions, Dr. Inkpen touched her groin and inner thigh area with a transducer or EMG needle electrodes. On a small number of occasions, the devices, or Dr. Inkpen’s finger, contacted the side of her vagina. Dr. Inkpen would move her underwear so that parts of her genital area was exposed.”

Buchanan said the woman did not want to participate in the practice sessions but she felt it was a good-paying job and she needed the employment.

The second staff member worked as a personal and clinic assistant from 2016 to 2020, and Inkpen asked her to volunteer to assist with practice using a bedside ultra-sound machine.

During a scanning session on a Saturday in April 2022, the doctor said he would be looking at a nerve near the woman’s groin, and ended up moving the transducer over her hip and onto her pubic bone.

“At which point, Dr. Inkpen then stopped and could not continue because he was too distracted by her vagina,” Buchanan stated.

The woman sat up and covered herself with a sheet when Inkpen asked her is she wanted him to continue and she said no.

“Dr. Inkpen asked if [the woman] ever fantasized about hooking up with her boss. The woman said no, and she was very uncomfortable and her body language confirmed the same.”

Prior to the woman leaving the clinic, Inkpen apologized and said he wanted to talk, but the woman said she did not wish to talk and went home and took part in no more practice sessions.

“The woman said she felt uncomfortable working with Dr. Inkpen but worried that saying anything about what happened would ruin Dr. Inkpen’s career and she worried about all the patients they were helping and what that would mean for them,” the Crown attorney said.

Gismondi told the judge his client took full responsibility for his actions and was remorseful, adding he will likely never practice medicine again.

Inkpen, who was with his father in court, made a short statement to the judge during the hearing.

“I just simply want to say that I am sorry. I accept the sentence as it is laid out and I look forward to becoming a contributing member of society and a supportive husband and father after my release,” Inkpen said.

Judge Levan said he needed time to consider the sentence, and the case will return to court June 10 to fix a date for his sentencing decision.

Gismondi noted Inkpen has no criminal record and lives with his wife and son.

He was born in St John’s, Newfoundland and went to medical school at Memorial University, graduating in 2006 with a specialty in physical medicine.

He moved to Vernon with his family in 2011.

His wife was not in the courtroom Thursday, but did provide the court with a letter of support for her husband.

Gismondi said Inkpen voluntarily gave up his medical license earlier this year and hasn’t practiced since closing his clinic in 2021 due to “a constellation of factors including a potential police investigation.”

One woman in the courtroom, who told Vernon Matters she was a victim, briefly clapped as Inkpen was put into handcuffs and taken into custody by a sheriff.

Inkpen hugged his father before being led away.