Manish Shah: Doctor found guilty of string of sexual offences against patients as young as 11

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A GP has been found guilty of 25 sexual offences against six of his patients, some as young as 11.

Manish Shah, 50, from Romford, convinced his patients to have unnecessary, invasive examinations, citing the high profile cases of Angelina Jolie and Jade Goody as an excuse to do so.

The London doctor used these celebrity cancer cases to instill fear in his patients, in efforts to persuade women and girls as young as 11 to undergo unnecessary checks for his own sexual gratification, the court heard.

The jury was told Shah has already been convicted of similar allegations relating to 17 other women, bringing the total number to 23.

“Fear is an incredible motivator and few health concerns are scarier than cancer. Dr Shah exploited that and used it for his own personal gratification,” prosecutor Kate Bex QC told jurors.

Some of the victims were particularly vulnerable because of their young age or because of their family history of the disease.

In at least one case, Shah brought up the news story about Angelina Jolie having a preventative mastectomy as he asked a woman if she would like him to examine her breasts.

He also mentioned Jade Goody to another woman, saying an examination was in her best interests, it was claimed.

Ms Bex told jurors that one theme of the case was the defendant’s “sexualised” behaviour – giving patients hugs and kisses, singling some out as “special” and his “star”.

He would not always wear gloves and left one patient entirely naked on an examination table, jurors heard.

He breached guidelines on the use of chaperones during intimate examinations, also flouting NHS guidelines on giving healthy women under 25 smear tests and women under 50 routine breast examinations, which were said to cause more harm than good, Ms Bex said.

The 50-year-old denied wrongdoing, claiming he had been practising “defensive medicine”.

His barrister Zoe Johnson QC told jurors he was a “cautious, insecure, perhaps at times incompetent GP”, and argued his previous convictions did not make the case for “once a sex offender always a sex offender”.

He was convicted at the Old Bailey and will be sentenced on 7 February for the 25 sexual offences against six patients at the Mawney Medical Centre over the course of five years, between May 2009 and June 2013.

Additional reporting by PA