Dr Michael Shine, who is on trial for allegedly indecently assaulting six teenage patients, yesterday told Dundalk Circuit Criminal Court he had no memory of any of the complainants except for one, Mr D, whose family he had got to know.
Dr Shine (72), of Wellington Road, Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to 11 counts of indecent assault on teenage boys in either Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda or at his consulting rooms on Fair Street, Drogheda, between 1974 and 1982.
In reply to his counsel Mr Felix McEnroy, Dr Shine said he did not have a clear memory of any of the complainants except for Mr D. His other evidence was based on medical records that he said were incomplete.
He said Mr F had been a patient of another consultant and he did not see him. He did not attend Mr F in hospital, and "I can say absolutely I did not assault him".
An expert medical witness for the defence, Dr Brendan O'Sullivan, yesterday gave evidence of working alongside the accused in the Drogheda hospital for over 20 years. He said Dr Shine was "superb, careful, gentle, soft-spoken but to the point".
When asked when would a genital examination be carried out, Dr O'Sullivan said a consultant would not have the time to carry out a full examination on all patients, and he would confine himself to the body system related to the complaint.
Asked if he would carry out a genital examination on someone with a broken wrist, he said he would concentrate on the wrist.
The trial continues.