GP used celebrity names to convince patients to have unnecessary examinations
A GP accused of molesting female patients as young as 11 cited celebrities Angelina Jolie and Jade Goody to convince them to have unnecessary examinations, a court has heard.
Manish Shah, 50, of Romford, east London, allegedly carried out “invasive” intimate examinations over five years for his own sexual gratification.
He is on trial at the Old Bailey accused of 34 sexual offences against eight females aged between 11 and 39 between May 2009 and June 2013.
The jury was told Shah (pictured) has already been convicted of similar allegations relating to 17 other patients.
Prosecutor Kate Bex QC described how on one occasion, Shah brought up a news story about Hollywood star Jolie having a preventative mastectomy as he asked a woman if she would like him to examine her breasts.
In another instance, he mentioned Goody as he told another woman an examination was in her best interests, it was claimed.
Ms Bex told jurors: “He took advantage of his position to persuade women to have invasive vaginal examinations, breast examinations and rectal examinations when there was absolutely no medical need for them to be conducted.”
The first complaint against him emerged in July 2013, the court heard.
Ms Bex told jurors that one theme of the case was the defendant’s “sexualised” behaviour.
He would allegedly give patients hugs and kisses, singling some out as “special” and his “star”, saying he had a soft spot for them.
He did not always wear gloves and left one patient entirely naked on an examination table, it was claimed.
Shah allegedly attempted to justify an examination in medical notes by suggesting it was “requested”.
He flouted NHS guidelines on giving healthy women under 25 smear tests and routine breast examinations on women under 50, which were said to cause more harm than good, Ms Bex told jurors.
He also allegedly breached guidelines on the use of chaperones during intimate examinations.
Ms Bex told jurors: “A family doctor is a position where trust is essential – a patient must place sufficient trust in the doctor to permit intimate examinations, so as to safeguard her health.
“The prosecution alleges that Dr Shah presented as a caring, considerate and solicitous doctor, prepared to go above and beyond for his patients, but that the evidence as a whole exposes that this was no more than a facade, and that he manipulated and abused the trust placed in him for his own sexual satisfaction.”
Shah has denied 13 charges of sexual assault and 21 counts of assault by penetration.
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