Indian doc jailed for raping, taking photos of victim during sexual assault

MELBOURNE - An Indian doctor in Australia has been jailed for six years after he was found guilty of raping a woman seven times in one night and taking photographs of her during the assault.

Arvind Sharma, 37, a Victorian GP, was found guilty of seven counts of rape and three counts of indecent assault over the attacks in December 2006, the Age reported.

Sharma attacked his victim, then 24, when they returned to his house after night clubbing in Bendigo. The two were known to each other and had previously had consensual sex.

In sentencing, Judge Frank Shelton said the woman refused Sharma’s advances while she was lying on his bed, but when he persisted ten minutes later, she did not resist.

The judge said Sharma believed the woman to be drunk but in actual fact she was only pretending in order for him to stop.

During cross-examination, the woman said she was scared of Sharma but Judge Shelton said that evidence was not particularly strong.

Judge Shelton said Sharma was of previous good character and had high standing in the Bendigo community.

He said Sharma’s jail term would have an effect on Bendigo given the documented difficulties in attracting GPs to country areas. (ANI)