Nearly seven years after a London neurologist was busted trying to buy sex from a teenager, he has officially lost his licence to practice medicine.
Dr. Harvey Christopher Hyson was found guilty of professional misconduct by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario at a disciplinary hearing on Wednesday.
"Dr. Hyson tried to exploit and take advantage of someone he believed was a 16-year-old girl solely for his sexual gratification. Dr. Hyson continued to communicate with this person he believed to be a young girl and proceeded to persistently and actively pursue this person," said College prosecutor Simmy Dhamrait in a statement.
The disciplinary committee heard that in April 2012, Hyson responded to an advertisement on Craigslist that was posted by an undercover London police officer who was posing as a "sweet and petite young girl.”
Hyson exchanged emails with who he believed was a 16-year-old girl named Janice for several days using personal IP addresses, as well as those belonging to London Health Sciences Centre and Western University.
He arranged to meet the girl and agreed to pay her $300 for "oral and straight-up sex."
Police arrested Hyson in his car as he approached the meeting spot with the agreed upon cash.
"The College submits that his behaviour was reprehensible, he sought to exploit this person he believed to be a young girl and he sought to do so for his own sexual gratification. This is a case that erodes public confidence in the medical profession and warrants revocation," said Dhamrait.
Hyson pleaded no-contest to the disciplinary charges. In addition to losing his licence immediately, he was also fined $6,000.