Jury retires in trial of GP accused of assaults

Dr Cox's trial is being held at Reading Crown Court

Jurors have begun their deliberations in the case of a GP accused of indecently assaulting seven women for "sexual gratification".

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.

Nine of the allegations made against Dr Cox, now of Marton, Shropshire, were made by one former patient.

Judge Sarah Campbell sent out the jury of eight women and four men at about 15:00 BST on Tuesday.

Previously, prosecutor Chris Hewertson said Dr Cox was "motivated by sexual pleasure by the deliberate touching of certain areas of the body" and that it was not medically justified.

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

But Dr Cox said the women were mistaken in their allegations and that the examinations would have been medically justified.