London plastic surgeon acquitted of sexual assault

The London courthouse in London, Ont., is shown on Wednesday, April 30, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nicole Osborne

A London plastic surgeon charged with sexual assault nearly three years ago has been found not guilty.

After a five-day trial which started at the beginning of the month, Dr. Robert Richards, 65, was acquitted.

The judge in the case ruled that despite the evidence from accused being “self-serving,” she was left with a reasonable doubt and found the doctor to be not guilty.

The court has heard the woman involved in the case had an intimate relationship with Richards.

“I told him multiple times to stop doing that,” she testified during the trial. “I was crying and telling him that’s not what I wanted.”

She cannot be identified under a court order.

Richards was first charged with sexual assault on Aug. 11, 2023.

Months before the charges were laid, Richard had his privileges at London Health Sciences Centre and St. Joseph’s Health Care London revoked.

Following the suspension of his privileges, Richards resigned from hospital practice.

Richards specialized in hand and wrist surgery, nerve surgery and plastic surgery.

In another matter unrelated to this case, in February 2025, Richards resigned from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario and agreed to never apply or re-apply for registration as a physician in Ontario or any other jurisdiction in Canada.