A 70-year-old physician has been arrested and charged following allegations that he sexually assaulted multiple female patients over a period spanning more than three decades. Andrew Small, who practiced at the Waterloo Medical Centre in inner-city Sydney, appeared in a virtual bail hearing on Friday after police raided his workplace and took him into custody.
The charges against the doctor are severe, including three counts of aggravated sexual assault, one count of aggravated indecent assault, and one count of sexual assault knowing no consent was given. The allegations suggest a pattern of abuse occurring between November 1988 and March 2024, marking one of the more disturbing breaches of professional trust in the region’s medical community.
As a physician and medical writer, I find the details of this case particularly harrowing. The patient-provider relationship is built on an implicit contract of safety and vulnerability; when that trust is weaponized, the trauma extends beyond the physical act to a fundamental betrayal of the healing profession. In this instance, the court heard that the alleged offenses were inextricably linked to Dr. Small’s role as a medical professional.
Court proceedings and the “position of trust”
During the bail hearing, Sergeant Chris Manning, the police prosecutor, urged the court to deny bail, describing the case against Dr. Small as “strong.” The prosecution emphasized that the alleged crimes were committed by an individual in a position of absolute authority over his patients.
The court was provided with a specific example of the alleged misconduct: one victim reported that she had visited Dr. Small to seek treatment for stomach pain, only to be sexually assaulted during the encounter. Sergeant Manning noted that such an action falls “well outside of what ordinary practice would be,” highlighting the deviation from standard medical protocols to justify the charges of aggravated assault.
The scope of the investigation appears to be widening. Following the public disclosure of the charges on Thursday evening, a fifth woman contacted police. She alleged that offenses occurred starting in 2006, when she was only 15 years old.
Regulatory failures and the HCCC investigation
One of the most concerning revelations during the proceedings was the history of regulatory oversight. The court heard that Dr. Small had previously been the subject of an investigation by the Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) in 2012. Despite that investigation, he was permitted to continue practicing medicine for another decade.
This detail raises critical questions about the efficacy of medical board oversight and the thresholds required to suspend a practitioner’s license during an investigation. For patients, the knowledge that a provider may have been previously flagged by a regulatory body—yet remained in practice—adds a layer of systemic failure to the personal trauma of the victims.
The legal timeline of the case is summarized below:
| Event | Detail |
|---|---|
| Arrest | Police raid on Waterloo Medical Centre; arrest of Andrew Small. |
| Charges | 3x Aggravated Sexual Assault, 1x Aggravated Indecent Assault, 1x Sexual Assault. |
| Timeline | Alleged offenses occurring between November 1988 and March 2024. |
| Bail Status | Granted with strict conditions (cannot practice medicine or enter the clinic). |
Defense and judicial ruling
Defense lawyer Troy Edwards argued for bail on the basis that Dr. Small has no prior criminal history and intends to fight the charges in court. Judge Daniel Covington acknowledged that while the offenses are “serious and concerning,” the evidence at this preliminary stage was not “overwhelming,” though he noted it was certainly not “weak.”
Judge Covington ultimately granted bail, but imposed stringent conditions to ensure public safety and the integrity of the investigation. Dr. Small is prohibited from continuing to practice medicine in any capacity and is strictly barred from entering the Waterloo Medical Centre.
The case now moves toward a trial where the prosecution will seek to prove that Dr. Small used his medical credentials to facilitate the assault of his patients. For the medical community, this serves as a grim reminder of the necessity for rigorous, transparent, and proactive patient safeguarding measures.
Support services for survivors
If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual assault, there are confidential support services available:
- NSW Sexual Violence Helpline: 1800 424 017
- NSW Victims Services: 1800 633 063
- Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service: 1800 211 028
- Bravehearts (Child sexual abuse support): 1800 272 831
- MARS Australia (Support for men): (07) 3857 1222
- Full Stop Australia: 1800 385 578
Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or medical advice. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The next confirmed step in the legal process will be the filing of further evidence and the scheduling of a mention date in the local court to determine the progression toward trial. We will provide updates as official court records become available.
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