Doctor accused of assaults for 'sexual gratification'

Dr Stephen Cox is on trial at Reading Crown Court

A GP is accused of indecently assaulting seven women for "sexual gratification", a court has heard.

Stephen Cox, 64, denies 16 counts of indecent assault against seven women while he practised as a GP in Bracknell, Berkshire, between 1988 and 1997.

The prosecution told his trial at Reading Crown Court he had attacked the women on the pretext of carrying out routine medical examinations.

Among the allegations are that he touched patients' breasts, and pushed one woman against her kitchen cupboards and grabbed her throat during a home visit.

Nine of the allegations were made by one former patient.

Prosecutor Chris Hewertson said Dr Cox, from Marton in Shropshire, was "motivated by sexual pleasure by the deliberate touching of certain areas of the body" and the actions were not medically justified.

He said: "It was inappropriate, wrong, not medically justified, criminal."

He told the court Dr Cox took "sexual gratification" in assaulting the women, some of whom were pregnant at the time of the alleged incidents.

Addressing the jury, he said the evidence would raise questions for them, including: "What are the chances of an upstanding and professional man of medicine being targeted by seven different women and being accused of very similar or identical physical activity?

"Why would seven women want to make false allegations against a general practitioner in that way?"

Her Honour Judge Sarah Campbell told the jury the case was a retrial but ordered them not to look into the details of the previous case.

The trial continues.