A psychologist who shoplifted a Karen Walker designer dress has been found guilty of professional misconduct.
The Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal made its ruling today on the Auckland health worker, whose name it has suppressed.
The woman has admitted cutting a tag off the dress and putting it in her handbag in 2014.
A shop assistant stopped her after an alarm rang as she left the shop and the $276 dress was spotted in her bag.
Police were called and the woman received a formal caution but was not prosecuted.
The psychologist later apologised to the shop and paid $257 for the dress as it had been destroyed by the removal of the tag.
A Psychologists Board committee charged her with professional misconduct over matters including failures to discuss with her employer the shoplifting caution and a drunk-driving conviction.
The tribunal found the psychologist guilty of professional misconduct and of doing something - the shoplifting incident - that was likely to bring discredit to her profession.
The tribunal will make a penalty decision later.
