Warning: Readers may find content in this article disturbing and triggering. A now-former doctor convicted of sexually assaulting two of his female patients during medical appointments, five years ago, has been sentenced to further time behind bars. Disgraced physician Sam Naghibi, 73, of Alliston was sentenced Friday in a Newmarket, Ont. courtroom to another 12 months in jail. Naghibi was convicted in separate trials of sexually assaulting two of his female patients in 2020 and 2021. In his reasons for sentencing, Justice Chris de Sa ruled Naghibi violated his patient’s “sexual integrity,” calling Naghibi’s actions a breach of trust. Naghibi has been behind bars since June 2024 as he serves a 20-month sentence following by probation for 18 months. In all, at least 10 women came forward to York Regional Police alleging Naghibi sexually violated them over several years during medical appointments dating back more than a decade. Many of the women were in court to hear his sentence, including a woman, whose identity is protected by a publication ban, who said Naghibi has never apologized to those he harmed and traumatized while under his medical care. “He wrote a letter and that was an opportunity to show remorse, and he showed none,” said the woman of the former doctor’s address to the court. “He didn’t mention a victim, a single victim that he hurt. He talked about himself and how this hurt him financially. He has an opportunity to say sorry for what he did, and he didn’t.” The court heard family members describe Naghibi’s criminal behaviour as out-of-character and blamed it on a potential cognitive decline which the court said was unfounded following a psychological assessment. Loved ones said Naghibi has experienced depression and expressed remorse and shame to them. As part of his second trial Naghibi was found not guilty of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl when the judge ruled the Crown had not proven guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The girl claimed she too was violated during a medical exam. Charges involving seven other complainants were either withdrawn by the Crown or resulted in an acquittal prior to trial. Naghibi was represented by experienced Toronto defence lawyers Jill Makepeace and David Humphrey. The defence sought a sentence of nine more months behind bars, the Crown asked for two years in custody for the second sentence which will begin once the 20-month sentence is served. According to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, Naghibi resigned from membership Jan. 1, 2024, and has agreed never to apply or reapply for registration as a physician in Ontario or anywhere else. At the time of his arrest, police in York Region revealed Naghibi worked at a clinic on Davis Drive in Newmarket and one on Wellington Street in Aurora between 2011 and 2021. Those who came forward to police believe the justice system let them down. “He did have the best lawyers that money could buy,” said one of the complainants. “And they destroyed the victims that took the stand, mocked them, only to be re-traumatized again on the stand, by some of Canada’s best defence lawyers.” Upon his release from custody, Naghibi will be subject to a lifetime weapons ban, placed on probation for three more years and the sex offender registry for life. His lawyers declined to provide comment on the sentence.
