Meath victim of surgeon speaks out

One of consultant surgeon Michael Shine"s Meath victims in the 1970s has appealed to others who were sexually abused by the doctor to come forward and tell what they know. The career of Mr Shine, a pillar of the medical establishment who was based at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, lies in ruins after he was struck off the medical register for life for professional misconduct this week. The Duleek man, now in his 50s, was a teenager when he had an accident at home and had to be taken to the Lourdes Hospital. He said yesterday (Tuesday) that when he was examined by the surgeon, he had suggested to him that he visit his consulting rooms at Fair Street in the town. He said that he was sexually assaulted there. 'When I was in the hospital, he said to me 'you look a bit run down" and said that I should come to his rooms in Drogheda on a Saturday morning. He knew the people to prey on. I didn"t know what was going on. It wasn"t something that could be talked about at that time. I thought it was something all males had to go through', he said. The man said that he had come forward after reading that other people were making complaints about the surgeon. A statement had been taken from him at his home. 'There wasn"t any record of me having been in the outpatients department. Later on the guards said that they had enough to go on and I didn"t hear any more about it'. The man also said that he had been in sleeping tablets and anti-depressants for years. He said that he had never known any other people who had alleged abuse until he met two alleged victims at a meeting. 'I was on my own up to this.' He said that the striking off of the surgeon had brought 'a bit of closure', but added: 'I"m more relieved for some of the other people because I know what they are their families went through. 'I definitely feel that the Medical Council"s report should be published. I would also like to appeal to anybody else in Meath and the surrounding area to come forward because there must be many of them out there considering the stories I have heard,' said the man.