A Sydney psychiatrist found guilty of sexually assaulting a drunk colleague has been allowed to continue practising, despite the state's health regulator trying to have him struck off.
Gopi Ilawala was found guilty of two offences of sexually touching a female colleague without her consent at a work function in 2019. The offences occurred at a hotel in Sydney's eastern suburbs.
The Medical Council of New South Wales had applied to have Ilawala's registration suspended or cancelled, but the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) ruled on 10 June 2026 that he could continue to practise under strict conditions.
The conditions include that Ilawala must not consume alcohol or drugs, must not be alone with female patients, and must have a chaperone present when treating female patients. He is also required to undergo psychiatric treatment.
Ilawala was sentenced in 2025 to a two-year community correction order and placed on the sex offenders register for eight years. The tribunal noted that while the offences were serious, Ilawala had shown remorse and had no prior criminal history.
