Richmond Hill doctor charged in historic sexual assault case

A doctor from Richmond Hill has been charged in a historic sexual assault case involving a patient.

York Regional Police say the victim attended the doctor’s Yonge Street office nearly a decade ago in the summer of 2016. 

“During a medical exam the suspect touched the victim for a sexual purpose and conducted no other examinations,” police said in a news release issued Thursday.

The assault was reported to the police in April 2024 and an investigation was launched.

Authorities have now charged 79-year-old Brian Sheffield of Richmond Hill with one count of sexual assault and believe there may be more victims.

“There is no statute of limitations for sexual offences and offenders can be prosecuted well after the date of the offence,” officials added.

Sheffield received his medical degree from the University of Toronto in 1971 and has been working as a family physician in Richmond Hill for more than 50 years.

He was previously disciplined by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario after an investigation found that he committed serious misconduct and failed to maintain professional standards.

A medical inspector said Sheffield “displayed a lack of knowledge, skill or judgment or disregard for the welfare of his patients” and “prescribed extremely excessive amounts of opioid medications” to more than 20 patients who “developed a serious drug dependency.”

The College ordered him to pay a $3,650.00 penalty and put limitations on the drugs he could prescribe.

“Dr. Sheffield shall cooperate with unannounced inspections of his practice and patient charts,” the College ruled.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the York Regional Police Special Victims Unit.

Editor’s Note: This article has been corrected to show that Sheffield’s age is 79, and not 71, as police had initially reported.