A banned Wodonga psychologist will be sentenced next year after he flouted an order to cease practising.
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Brian Joseph Hickman, 61, recently admitted to a string of charges brought by the health regulator in Albury Local Court.
He had conditions placed on his registration in October 2016 before being suspended on September 14, 2018, amid a raft of problems.
It was noted in court he had a "significant history for various conduct issues including boundary violation and breach of family violence intervention orders".
The final straw came during a health assessment.
He was interviewed and tested for alcohol, which maxed out the devices' limit of 0.40.
The Psychology Board of Australia believed his alcohol use - likely sustained over many months - posed a serious risk of harm and immediately acted to protect the public.
Despite the ban, Hickman continued to practise in both Wodonga and Albury.
A Gardens Medical Group doctor made a complaint to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency on March 23 last year.
She had referred a patient to Hickman a year earlier for treatment for sex addiction following a history of sexual abuse and severe mental illness.
The doctor had been reluctant to refer a young woman to a male practitioner for such treatment, but the woman had been enthusiastic about the results and needed a mental health plan.
Hickman had visited the woman in her home, leading to the doctor's complaint.
He provided similar services to another woman, which raised concerns of a support service worker.
Hickman contacted Centacare to discuss the services he was giving the woman, which immediately raised red flags at the organisation.
Centacare was giving support to the woman but didn't engage Hickman's services.
He told a staff member he was "assisting her around her sex drive and daily functioning", including shopping, and the employee reported the matter to AHPRA.
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Concerns were raised that Hickman was giving the sort of assistance the charity would provide, not a psychologist.
He referred to himself as a psychologist multiple times despite being banned from doing so.
A meeting was organised on March 19 last year between Hickman, the patient and the case worker.
Hickman touched the patient on her arm and cut her off when she spoke and a complaint was made, which was investigated by AHPRA.
He has priors for contravening and persistently contravening a family violence intervention order, being drunk in a public place and failing to answer bail.
He had planned to contest the NSW offending in court during a two-day hearing but instead pleaded guilty.
He will be sentenced in Albury on February 4.
