In the dock, GP accused of 118 sex attacks at surgery

A FAMILY doctor appeared in court yesterday charged with 118 sex attacks on patients – including a girl under 13.

manish Shah is accused of assaulting 54 women at his surgery over a nine-year period.

The 47-year- old GP wore a dark suit with a striped shirt and purple tie as he sat in the dock during a hearing that lasted fewer than 20 minutes.

He spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth and to confirm he intended to plead not guilty to all charges.

The offences are alleged to have taken place at his medical surgery in Havering, East london, between June 2004 and July 2013.

He faces 65 counts of assault by penetration, 52 counts of sexual assault and one count of sexual assault on a child under 13 years.

The charges were not read to him during the short hearing at Barkingside magistrates’ court. But Julian Woodbridge, Accused: Shah yesterday defending, indicated Shah would plead not guilty to all the charges.

District judge Richard Hawgood told the defendant: ‘i hear what your indication is. These are matters that can only be dealt with in the crown court.

‘i am sending these matters to the crown court at Snaresbrook where you will have your trial on a date to be fixed.’

He warned Shah that if he failed to turn up at the next hearing he could be arrested and held in custody.

The doctor was released on bail but told not to go to the Havering surgery or contact any current or previous patients or members of staff.

He was also ordered not to work as a GP or access any NHS medical records.

The judge added: ‘The message is there must be strict compliance with these bail conditions.’

Shah, who lives on an estate in Romford where homes cost around £800,000, has been suspended by the General medical Council since August 2014.

An NHS website says he was registered as a GP in march 2006 and his main interest is in family planning.

The website said Shah is able to ‘fit and remove contraceptive coils’. it is unclear if any of the charges relate to intimate examinations.

He was bailed to appear at Snaresbrook for a pre-trial hearing later this month.

The charges he faces were brought under sections 2, 3 and 7 of the Sexual Offences Act of 2003.