Former Woodstock physical therapist pleads guilty to groping patient

By JOHN LIPPMAN

Valley News Staff Writer

Published: 03-18-2023 10:46 AM

WHITE RIVER JUNCTION — A 71-year-old former Woodstock physical therapist pleaded guilty to inappropriately touching a female patient during a therapy appointment almost two years ago and was ordered never to practice again, according to court documents.

Peter Mayock, of Quechee, who formerly ran Ottauquechee Physical Therapy, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor of prohibited conduct, first offense, open or gross lewdness, which is a lesser crime than the original felony charge of lewd and lascivious conduct.

Windsor Superior Court Judge John Treadwell sentenced Mayock to three months to one year in prison, all suspended, and placed him on probation for three years.

He also was ordered to have no contact with the victim, must perform 40 hours of community service, participate in a restorative justice program and engage in “all treatment recommended” in a psychosexual evaluation, court records show.

Asked by the judge at sentencing on Friday if he wanted to make a statement to the court, Mayock replied, “Uh, no,” according to an audio recording of the hearing.

The misdemeanor charge to which Mayock pleaded guilty carried a maximum prison sentence of one year, while the initial felony charge carried a maximum sentence of five years.

Windsor County Deputy State’s Attorney Travis Weaver told Judge Treadwell the plea deal “was done significantly with (the victim’s) input” and “she’s in support of the agreement” and suggested that the outcome for Mayock owes a lot to her goodwill.

“She expressed sympathy for both the health issues that Mr. Mayock has had to deal with as well as acknowledged that he’s in his 70s now,” Weaver said. “I think she’d prefer to move forward with her life and not move this case to trial.”

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As previously reported, the victim had been going to Mayock for physical therapy appointments at the Woodstock office for more than 20 years until May 2021, when she reported that Mayock groped her breast, leaving her “stunned,” according to the police affidavit at the time. When she gave Mayock a questioning look, she said he replied, “Friday special.”

Investigators subsequently located and spoke with two other women who reported that Mayock had touched their breasts during physical therapy appointments and a third woman who stopped seeing him for back issues after she said that Mayock reached between her legs to her lower back in a way that “freaked” her out, the affidavit said.

The complaints of groping were not the first Mayock had faced. In 1991 the New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and Certification revoked his physical therapy license following a finding he had committed “sexual misconduct with patients,” according to the 1990 order.

He obtained his Vermont physical therapy license in 1997 but faced an investigation again in 2009, when the Vermont OPR looked into claims he had reached between a patient’s legs, according to the affidavit.

Asked by the judge if he agreed to the terms of the plea agreement, Mayock’s attorney, Paul Perkins, replied in the affirmative.

“Final point,” Perkins added. “Mr. Mayock voluntarily surrendered his license to practice physical therapy in Vermont, and he’s retired.”

Contact John Lippman at jlippman@vnews.com.

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