# Doctor admits to groping patients



## Cinderella (Jun 17, 2005)

*Doctor admits to groping patients*
*Friday February 24, 2006 at 4:13 PM*

*http://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/local/ci_3538558*

GARDNER -- William A. Houghton, a former family practice physician, admitted Wednesday to groping three female patients in his office. 
Houghton, 51, of 234 Sherbert Road, Ashburnham, pleaded guilty to one count of indecent assault and battery, and two counts of simple assault and battery.

District Court Judge Arthur Haley, upon the agreement of the defense and prosecution, sentenced Houghton to five years of supervised probation, ordered him to undergo sex offender treatment, drug and alcohol treatment and told him to stay away from the victims. 
Houghton sat in court while two of his victims tearfully described how badly he impacted their lives.

"I trusted you with my life," said one young woman, who appeared to be in her late teens or early 20s. 
"You have robbed me of my self-esteem, you have robbed me of a normal relationship with my boyfriend who loves me -- my own family doctor, we all trusted you," she said while giving a victim impact statement during the plea bargain hearing at Gardner District Court. 
Another victim said Houghton delivered her baby, and she even recommended him to a friend. He served as her doctor for 10 years, she said. 
She experienced a "battle" in her brain, leaving her confused about how to react, when she undressed herself and the doctor began groping her during an office visit, she said.

"So there I was, naked on the bed ... all the alarms are going off in my head ... frustrated with myself in this position," she said. "I said, 'This can't be happening.'" 
She decided to report the groping to prevent Houghton from assaulting another woman, she said. 
The third victim did not wish to speak in court, Assistant District Attorney Paula Frasso said. 
The victims had never met each other before Wednesday, according to Frasso.

Houghton, who was a Gardner-based doctor, didn't say anything, other than to answer simple questions from the judge. He stared straight ahead during much of the hearing. 
He refused to speak to reporters after the hearing. 
Eleven of his supporters sat on one side of the courtroom, while about a dozen of the victims' supporters sat on the other side. 
Some of the victims' backers sobbed loudly, but the people on Houghton's side showed no emotion.

Houghton's supporters declined to comment after he admitted to the prosecutor's allegations. 
Frasso said one victim, "JJ," went to Houghton's office on Jan. 18, 2005, and the doctor ended up taking her into an upstairs room, where he gave her a massage. 
The former doctor made sexually suggestive remarks to the woman, who was naked during the massage, and rubbed her buttocks and upper thighs, Frasso said.

"JJ was scared and uncomfortable and wanted to get out," Frasso said. 
Houghton asked another victim, "MS," if he could give her a massage when she went to his office during the summer of 2004, Frasso said. 
The doctor also rubbed her buttocks and upper thigh while she was naked, Frasso said. 
Houghton asked another victim, "AG," in August of 2004 if he could touch her breasts, and also massaged her, Frasso said. 
Houghton's attorney, Edward Ryan of Fitchburg, said during an interview after the hearing that Houghton has never had a drug or alcohol problem, describing that part of the sentence as fairly routine in criminal cases. 
The defense attorney also confirmed Houghton was never a licensed massage therapist.

Houghton has lost his medical license as a result of the case, and will likely never get it back, Ryan told the judge during the hearing. 
"(He became a doctor) to do one thing, to help people," Ryan said. "And that has all gone down the drain." 
Ryan said the groping happened at a point in Houghton's life "when there were other things going on," but acknowledged "this is not an excuse." 
Houghton is sorry, Ryan told the judge. 
"He is exceedingly remorseful for the pain he caused these patients," Ryan said. "He violated the very first rule -- that's do no harm -- and he regrets it." 
Houghton never had a criminal record before the groping incidents, according to Ryan. 
Prosecutors had originally levied more charges against Houghton, including one count of rape for the Jan. 18 incident, but the victims agreed to the plea deal in order to avoid an emotional trial, they said.

"I did not want to go through another year of Superior Court, putting her on the stand," the father of "JJ" said during an interview outside the courthouse. 
"And you never know what will happen (with a jury)," he said. "It hurts me bad that he gets to walk away today. I wanted closure for my daughter. He got off fairly easy. He is a lucky man." 
The man said his daughter went to the doctor for back pain when she didn't have health insurance, hoping he would help her for free since he was her family's physician.

Although Ryan agreed to let the judge order his client to undergo sex offender treatment, he argued the former doctor should not have to register as a sex offender. 
Ryan said Dr. John Daignault, a forensic psychologist, evaluated Houghton and determined he is not a risk to the community. 
But Frasso disagreed and argued an independent doctor should do another evaluation. 
"The risk is greater is greater to the community when the victim is not a family member," she said. "In this case, the defendant took advantage and assaulted victims who trusted him. They were the most vulnerable patients. He's a risk to the community at-large." 
Ryan said Houghton is an active member of the community, and not a danger. 
Houghton used to treat people for free if they couldn't afford care, and even visited Peru to help people there, according to Ryan. He has been married since 1992, and his wife was in the courtroom and has remained supportive, Ryan said. 
Houghton has a 25-year-old son who lives out of state and another child in grade school, Ryan said.

The defense attorney said he had 70 letters from people praising his client. 
The victim's father who spoke to reporters said he wanted the court to force Houghton to register as a sex offender. 
The judge took the matter under advisement, without making a ruling. 
He has 14 days to decide whether Houghton should register as a sex offender. If he doesn't, the decision will be up to the Sex Offender Registry Board, Frasso said. Ryan said the sentence was "not lenient," and said Houghton could be thrown in jail if he is arrested while on probation.


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