A family doctor sexually assaulted six female patients while carrying out intimate medical examinations at his surgery, a court heard.

One of Dr Babatunde Oshinusi’s alleged victims was an 81-year-old woman who complained he had tried to sexually stimulate her when she consulted him about a bladder problem.

The 43-year-old GP was said to have committed the offences while working at St Mary’s Medical Centre in Strood between 2007 and 2010.

Prosecutor Simon Taylor told Maidstone Crown Court: “The assaults all took place on the pretext of the defendant purporting to examine them as part of his medical duties.

“In essence, each of the complainants attended the surgery in order to be cared for in respect of various ailments and each of them was subjected to an intimate

examination which was unnecessary, gratuitous or in appropriate. Sometimes it was all three.

“The essence of the Crown’s case is that the behaviour of the defendant was sexual and not medical.”

Oshinusi, of Tunbury Avenue, Walderslade, Chatham, denies 12 charges of assault by penetration and three of sexual assault.

Mr Taylor said the jury of six men and six women would have to decide whether the GP acted in accordance with good medical practice at all times, as he claimed.

“After all, the defendant is a highly educated and qualified individual,” he said. “He is not a silly man. It follows that you might think he would have chosen when and who to abuse.

"This is not a case about his abilities as a doctor. This is a case about whether he engaged in sexual activity with these people, whether he assaulted them and whether it was sexual” - prosecutor Simon Taylor

“He would, you might think, be spectacularly foolish to choose to conduct a vaginal examination on someone reporting an earache. You will have to make a determination as to whether you can be sure his conduct was sexual.”

Mr Taylor said Oshinusi only asked one of the women if she wanted a chaperone when being examined.

Unsurprisingly, the General Medical Council had specific guidelines on intimate examinations and chaperones.

They stated that wherever possible a patient should be offered the security of having a chaperone present.

“This is not a case about his abilities as a doctor,” said Mr Taylor.

“This is a case about whether he engaged in sexual activity with these people, whether he assaulted them and whether it was sexual.”

The trial continues.

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