Doctor on trial for rape after ‘ lying that he was wearing a condom for sex’
A HOSPITAL consultant deceived a woman into having sex by agreeing to use a condom, a court heard.
But Matthew Sewell, 40, allegedly did not use the contraceptive and is now on trial for rape after the woman said she would never have consented to unprotected sex.
The woman was 23 at the time and met Sewell via the dating app Tinder, where his profile claimed he was 27, although he was in fact then 36, the jury heard.
He admitted he had lied about his age when he met his alleged victim at a bar in Middlesbrough, Teesside Crown Court was told.
But on a subsequent occasion she invited Sewell – a consultant at James Cook hospital in Middlesbrough
– to visit her house, said Paul Abrahams, prosecuting.
He told the court the woman drank a bottle of cava but ‘she suggests her memory was unaffected’.
They went to her bedroom where Sewell, from south-west London, offered to massage her, taking some of her clothes off to do so, as well as his own, the jury was told.
Mr Abrahams said: ‘When she looked around Mr Sewell was fully naked. She described that she would have been happy to have sex if [a] condom was put on, as previously they had unprotected sex… which she was upset about. When she
‘Are you angry with me?’
handed Mr Sewell the condom, he didn’t say anything to her. He took the condom quickly and turned his back to her.
‘It looked to her like he was putting the condom on. If she had known Mr Sewell hadn’t been wearing a condom, she would not have consented to sex.
‘She later discovered the condom ... and it was obvious no attempt had been made to use it.’ When the woman met him to discuss what had happened, he allegedly admitted the allegations, the court heard.
Mr Abrahams said: ‘He had done wrong and effectively pleaded with her not to report him, saying that it would ruin his career.’
He said Sewell later contacted her to tell her one of his previous partners had informed him she had contracted a sexually transmitted infection. He told the complainant he was going to get checked and asked if she would do the same.
‘She put it to Mr Sewell that he had deceived her into believing he had worn a condom,’ said Mr Abrahams.
‘Mr Sewell responds, “I apologise” and “Are you angry with me?”. It is then put to him, “That’s an excuse, is it? For deliberately deceiving.” He replies, “More of an honest answer”.’
South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said the spinal deformity surgeon is no longer employed there.
Sewell denies two counts of rape. The trial continues.