Paramedic Annette Henry reveals 'horrific toll' of constant sexual harassment by Merriwa Ambulance Station boss John Doepel

The former Upper Hunter paramedic's tragic tale of harassment and fight to be protected that led her to consider suicide on several occasions has so far been shrouded in the secrecy of internal NSW Ambulance Professional Standards Unit investigations.

But the 43-year-old broke ranks on Tuesday, publicly painting a disturbing picture of repeated harassment and the NSW Ambulance's lack of willingness to stop it.

Ms Henry, who is now stationed on the Central Coast and slated to return to the road next month, revealed the enormous toll the ordeal had taken on her career and life.

She detailed how after only a week working at Merriwa Ambulance Station, in a "job and uniform she loves", she applied for holidays to escape the harassment.

"It was just awful and it took an horrific toll," she said.

"Every day, every moment I was worried there was going to be something inappropriate.

"It was constant. If he was in the room, I was not and that's why I stayed in the women's toilets for so long because it was the only place I could go where I was certain I was safe."

The Newcastle Herald revealed on Tuesday that John Charles Doepel, of New Lambton, the former Merriwa ambulance station manager, was convicted of intimidation in Muswellbrook Local Court this week.

The 63-year-old pleaded guilty in August, on what was supposed to be the first day of a two-day trial to be heard in open court.

The witness list included a who's who of past and present NSW Ambulance Hunter management.

Ms Henry said it was "common knowledge" in the Hunter if paramedics made complaints they ended up with "a target on their back".

"If you complain, they don't want you anymore," she said.

"They just want you signed off and paid off. Out of the way.

"But I refused to go, because I was worried about the next woman stationed to Merriwa. I told them I was staying as long as they refused to fix it."

Doepel, a veteran intensive care paramedic and educator with more than 30 years' experience, unsuccessfully attempted to have the case dealt with under section 32 of the Mental Health Act, under which charges can be dismissed.

Defence barrister Mark Preece argued for no conviction to be recorded, stating Doepel suffered from post traumatic stress disorder and a mood disorder.

Magistrate Bree Chisholm refused the application detailing how Ms Henry was made to "feel unsafe over a period of time" by Doepel's "unwelcome and inapproriate behaviour".

She convicted Doepel and placed him on a 12-month conditional release order to accept treatment from a mental health professional.

The court heard the harassment was that bad that not long after Ms Henry started working at Merriwa, she would hide in the female toilets "for lengthy periods of time" to escape Doepel.

He would follow her "around the station constantly for no reason" and regularly asked her or guessed what colour underwear she was wearing.

Doepel once brought a sign to work which read: "Liquor in the front, poker in the back". After showing it to Ms Henry, he asked if she "liked it like that".

Ms Henry had only been a paramedic for about two years when she was posted to Merriwa.

She said she soon became "scared to be at work" and the harassment was "never ending".

She made several complaints to NSW Ambulance Professional Standards Unit and at least one of her managers reported Doepel's behaviour.

"When the service said they were handling it, I didn't have any reason not to believe them," she said.

"But in the end it took two years and 10 months and he eventually resigned.

"If the service had just done its job none of this would have happened. He would have been dealt with and everyone would have been safe."

She said management told her they would make sure Doepel didn't work with female staff, but she refused to accept it as a solution because she was concerned about patients.

Eventually after about three years investigating, NSW Ambulance forwarded a file on Doepel to NSW Police.

Doepel has appealed the conviction.

A NSW Ambulance spokesman said it would be inappropriate to comment due to the appeal.

The case comes after at least seven Hunter ambulance bosses have been stood down over the past year following wide-ranging investigations not linked to this case.

The Newcastle Herald revealed last year that two of the region's most senior NSW Ambulance managers, husband and wife team Kerry and Robert Akester, resigned after being stood down, and inspectors Mick O'Connor and Brian Knowles were removed from duty four months later.

As reported in May last year, two Sydney barristers, based at an inner-city Newcastle hotel, interviewed more than a dozen past and present paramedics over several weeks.

NSW Ambulance's Deputy Director of Clinical Operations, Inspector Jordan Emery, who is the most senior officer in the region, outlined plans last year to review the Hunter ambulance service and address "workplace grievances".

Do you know more? We want to hear from you. Please contact Donna.page@newcastleherald.com.au

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