A longtime Calgary neurologist is accused of sexually assaulting three former patients.
Dr. Keith Hoyte, 71, is charged with three counts of sexual assault.
The allegations date back to 1991 and span nearly 30 years.
Calgary police first started investigating six months ago when one woman came forward stating she had been touched sexually during a neurological exam in 2007.
Sex crimes officers said once they started looking into the case, two other historical cases with similar allegations were discovered; one from 2008 and one from 1991.
The latest complainant to come forward told Global News she was suffering from migraines and that’s why she was referred to Hoyte.
She said staff told her she needed to take off her shirt and bra and put on a gown. She said that seemed strange given all of her symptoms were headache-related.
The woman said Hoyte then came in the exam room, removed her gown and fondled her breasts. She described leaving the appointment feeling violated.
Calgary Police Staff Sgt. Bruce Walker said it was only after this recent complainant came forward that investigators looked back and found two other historical complaints with similar allegations; one from 2008 and one from 1991.
“There’s certain similarities,” Walker said. “In consultation with the Crown prosecutor’s office, we felt that there was enough there to go ahead with the charges.”
The latest complainant told Global News the alleged abuse has haunted her for years but recently felt compelled to go forward to police in light of the #metoo movement.
There are just over a dozen reviews of Dr. Keith Hoyte online, several specifically allege inappropriate behaviour during examinations.
One reviewer wrote she saw Hoyte in 1987 and said she “had been suffering from a headache for more than a year. He made me take my clothes and bra off unnecessarily.”
Another from November 2011 alleges Hoyte “made me take my top off, including my bra for a neurological exam. I have seen many neurologists and I now know that this is not necessary.”
The reviews are anonymous so there’s no way for Global News to contact the authors.
The allegations have not been proven in court.
Police said they will investigate if any other patients come forward, adding there is no time limit on sexual assault cases in Canada.
“We have some historical files. One that we’re looking at now goes with back to the 60s. Some go back to the 70s and 80s,” Walker said.
“We just feel if people are a survivor or victim of sexual violence that they should come to the police and report it.”
Global News was not able to reach Hoyte or his defence lawyer for comment.
He is not in custody and is scheduled to make his first court appearance July 31.
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