A former NSW doctor charged with sexually assaulting and mutilating female patients will spend at least the next two months behind bars.
Graeme Reeves, 58, was today charged with 17 offences relating to 10 women he operated on between 2001 and 2003 while working on the state's south coast and in Richmond, in Sydney's west.
His wife looked on silently from the public gallery of Parramatta Local Court today as the magistrate noted the "strong case" against the former obstetrician and denied bail, remanding him into custody until November 5.
The charges include nine counts of aggravated sexual assault, six counts of indecent assault, one count of genital mutilation and one count of inflicting grievous bodily harm.
In one case, a south coast resident alleged Reeves surgically mutilated her in 2002 when he removed her clitoris.
The former doctor was arrested at his home at Baulkham Hills in Sydney's northwest at 6am today after extensive investigations into more than 100 allegations of misconduct between 2001 and 2003.
His arrest followed a police raid on a storage unit at Gladesville, in Sydney's inner west, last week when documents were seized.
Police prosecutor Rick Thompson told Parramatta Local Court the offences carried a jail term of up to 20 years.
Reeves' lawyer Greg Murray said there was no risk of his client reoffending because all the alleged offences related to his medical practice, which closed in 2004.
If granted bail, Reeves would live with his wife at her sister's house, he said.
But Magistrate James Garbett refused bail, describing the allegations as "very serious".
While Reeves, who has no prior criminal record, did not pose a flight risk, the magistrate said he was facing "a significant custodial sentence".
Reeves was expressionless as bail was refused, but then sat with his head in his hands.
As he was escorted from the court room, he did not look at his wife, who sat alone in the front row of the public gallery, wearing dark glasses and looking solemn. She refused to speak to reporters afterwards.
Prior to the court appearance, Child Protection and Sex Crimes Squad Commander Detective Superintendent John Kerlatec said the 10 women that came forward in the investigation should be proud of their strength.
He encouraged other women who believed they had suffered at the hands of Reeves to contact police.
The Medical Error Action Group, which has been highlighting the "inadequacies" of the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission, welcomed the charges against Reeves.
Reeves was banned from practising obstetrics by the Medical Board in 1997, but was reappointed by the Southern Area Health Service in 2002 after it failed to detect the ban.
Medical Error Action Group spokeswoman Lorraine Long said the commission knew about the allegations against Reeves for years before the alleged victims went public this year.
"What a relief. Relief and justification that the persistence of 12 years has paid off," Ms Long said after Reeves' arrest.
"I think for the police to take that first step after six months, that's a great result." The former doctor's arrest also led NSW Premier Nathan Rees to back a national system to screen doctors, while the opposition called for tough new background checks at state level.
Reeves is due to face Sydney's Central Local Court, via video link, on November 5.
