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New Hearing Set For San Mateo Psychiatrist Accused Of Child Molestation

REDWOOD CITY (KCBS) - A prominent San Mateo child psychiatrist whose 2008 child molestation trial ended in a mistrial could soon be retried following a competency hearing.

KCBS' Tim Ryan Reports:

The hearing was scheduled to begin Monday for 78-year-old William Ayres and could last up to two weeks. Defense attorneys hoped to prove that Ayres is mentally incompetent to stand trial again, arguing he may suffer from Alzheimer's of dementia.

"Multiple victims, taking advantage of the position of trust as a psychiatrist dealing with young boys who of course placed their trust in him to help them clinically and instead were molested," San Mateo County prosecutor Steve Wagstaffe explained the allegations, which dated as far back as 1991, involving five minors.

Ayres testified at his first trial, denying the charges of fondling the boys in his office during appointments.

"For a period between 1991 and 1996 he's charged with approximately 20 counts of child molestation that went to trial a year-and-a-half ago with a hung jury in July 2009," said Wagstaffe.

Other allegations were dismissed for being outside the scope of the statute of limitations.

Ayres remained free on bail.

(© 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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