Senior Doctor Sentenced to Six Years for Rape and Sexual Assault

A senior doctor at Wolfson Medical Center, Professor Arieh Levin, has been sentenced to six years in prison for raping the mother of a patient and committing sexual offenses against two other patients. Levin, a 69-year-old pediatric gastroenterologist and former head of the pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition unit at the hospital, was convicted of raping a patient's mother, four counts of indecent acts against another patient, indecent acts against a third patient, and misuse of official authority against a fourth patient. The Tel Aviv District Court unanimously delivered the sentence.

Levin initially denied the charges but later changed his plea to guilty on a revised indictment as the trial progressed. A plea agreement was reached, but it did not include an agreement on the sentence, allowing both the prosecution and defense to argue for their desired penalties. As part of the agreement, 750,000 shekels were deposited with the court for the victims, to be divided equally among the four. Levin also committed to permanently ceasing his medical practice and seeking the cancellation of his medical license, which has since been permanently revoked.

The most severe offense occurred in 2013 when Levin raped the mother of a child he was treating for colitis after summoning her to his office under the pretense of needing medical documents. He locked the door and assaulted her. The prosecution emphasized that Levin exploited the trust and authority vested in him as a doctor. Another victim, who suffered from colitis since adolescence, was subjected to four indecent acts by Levin between 2012 and subsequent years. A third victim, then a minor, was subjected to an indecent act in 2021 when Levin approached her and her mother in a hospital corridor and offered to perform a follow-up examination himself.

The prosecution had sought a sentence of no less than 13 years, arguing for separate sentencing ranges for each offense due to the distinct victims and time periods. They requested six to nine years for the rape charge, four to seven years for the four indecent acts, and three to six years for the other indecent act. The defense argued for a significantly lower sentence, suggesting 15 months for the rape and two to five years for all offenses combined, even proposing community service if the revised indictment's changes were given substantial weight.

The court considered mitigating factors including Levin's lack of prior criminal record, his age, his admission of guilt, the compensation paid, his cessation of medical practice, and the significant amendments to the indictment. Levin expressed remorse, stating his life was dedicated to helping people and acknowledging his failure. However, the judges gave significant weight to the severity and multiplicity of the offenses, the long period over which they occurred, the victims' ages and resulting harm, and Levin's abuse of his position. The court stressed the need for a deterrent message to medical professionals.