Vernon physio’s registration cancelled following guilty plea to nine sex assaults

The College of Physical Therapists of B.C. has cancelled the registration of a Vernon physiotherapist after he was convicted of sexual assault.

Last October, Stephen Witvoet, 47, pleaded guilty to nine charges of sex assault involving nine different complainants.

The assaults occurred between 2009 and 2016.

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According to an agreement with the college, Witvoet’s registration is immediately cancelled and he is banned from applying for reinstatement for four years.

Should he reapply, he would be banned from treating female patients and from engaging in a solo practice without the supervision of other college registrants.

Witvoet was originally charged with 16 counts of sex assault but pleaded guilty to assaulting nine female patients while providing physical therapy services to them. The remaining charges were stayed.

He was scheduled to be sentenced on March 30, but the B.C Prosecution Service said the matter was adjourned to June 29 to set a new date for the hearing because of the COVID-19 pandemic.