Psychiatrist accused of trying to use one patient to threaten another,

UPDATE: we have a report that the former shrink has been sentenced for his misconduct:

A former Launceston psychiatrist has been sentenced to 18 months jail for hiring a former patient to intimidate another patient.

A criminal court jury this afternoon found Ian Anthony Martin guilty of attempting to interfere with a witness.

The Chief Justice Peter Underwood says the crime struck at the well being of society and the court must send a clear message that it will act to protect the judicial system.

He gave Martin a 10 month non parole period.

Original Report: As seen in these reports from ABC News in Australia

Report 1

The trial of a Launceston psychiatrist, accused of trying to use one patient to threaten another, will continue in the Launceston Criminal Court tomorrow.

Ian Anthony Martin has pleaded not guilty to attempting to interfere with a witness and to an alternative charge of perverting the course of justice.

Martin has denied that in 1998 he asked a female patient to withdraw a charge against him of maintaining a sexual relationship.

Another former patient, Gregory Shane Kirkland, has told the court that he damaged the woman's car after Martin asked him to threaten her and her family.

A third former patient, Raymond Henry Wells, said he helped Martin burn the woman's medical files.

Tomorrow the jury will continue watching a recorded police interview with Martin, before the Crown sums up its case.

Report 2

A man has told the Launceston Criminal Court how his doctor asked him to threaten a Launceston family in 1998.

The witness was a patient of Launceston psychiatrist Ian Anthony Martin.

Martin has pleaded not guilty to one count of interfering with a witness and an alternative count of perverting the course of justice.

This morning witness Gregory Shane Kirkland told the court that his psychiatrist Martin offered him $1,000 to go to a Launceston house and threaten a family to get them to drop a lawsuit against Martin.

Mr Kirkland said he damaged two cars at the house and made a threatening phone call.

Martin's lawyer Adrian Hall asked Mr Kirkland whether he had made the story up to get back at Martin for writing a report that resulted in the witness losing his son to child protection.

Mr Kirkland rejected the suggestion.

The trial is continuing.