Charge
At a hearing on 9 November 2015 in Wellington, the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal considered a charge laid by the Professional Conduct Committee (PCC), appointed by the Podiatrist Board of New Zealand, against Mr Stefan Edwards, podiatrist of Tauranga (the Podatrist).

The charge was that on 25 February 2015 the Podiatrist was convicted in the District Court of one charge of assault and that this conviction reflects adversely on his fitness to practice.

Finding
The hearing proceeded on an agreed summary of facts basis.  The Tribunal found the charge was established and noted that a conviction for a serious assault, even one such as this which is unconnected with a practitioner's professional practice, must inevitably reflect adversely on a practititoners fitness to practice to one extent or another.

Penalty
The Tribunal censured the Podiatrist, imposed conditions that the Podiatrist continue and complete the anger management programme he had commenced and ordered him to pay a total of $12,208.56 as a contribution towards the costs of and incidental to the hearing.

The Tribunal directed publication of the decision and a summary.