A doctor who persuaded a patient to perform oral sex on him has asked the High Court in Wellington to grant him permanent name suppression.
The South Island GP was last year found guilty of professional misconduct by the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal over incidents in his consultation room and at the patient's workplace in 2009.
His lawyer, Harry Waalkens, QC, told the court on Thursday the doctor had a history of depression and his wife had a stress-related condition, so having his name made public would put them both at risk.
Mr Waalkens argued there was no risk to the public because the doctor only saw female patients with a chaperone now.
But the tribunal's director of proceedings, Aaron Martin, said the public had a right to know.
Justice France reserved his decision.
