‘Inconsistencies’ at the heart of claims doctor sexually assaulted woman, jury hears

A woman who claims she was sexually assaulted by a doctor at Boston’s Pilgrim Hospital gave a number of inconsistent accounts, a jury was told.

Dr Saqib Uddin Khan, 36, denies he carried out an internal examination on the woman after she attended the hospital following breast surgery abroad.

The woman was video interviewed by police after complaining that she was internally examined by a doctor after attending A & E with bleeding from one of her wounds.

During the video, which was played to a jury at Lincoln Crown Court, the woman alleged a doctor carried out two internal examinations after asking her if it would be alright to examine her without a nurse being present.

But defence barrister Andrew Hockton, during cross-examination, suggested the woman had made up the complaint and was looking for compensation.

In his evidence Dr Khan, a speciality doctor in general surgery at the Pilgrim Hospital, told the jury that he attempted to find a female nurse to act as chaperone while he examined the patient but staff were too busy dealing with other urgent cases.

Dr Khan said that he only examined the woman above the waist and described the complainant’s evidence as “fabrication”.

Staff Nurse Sharon Cutts told the jury that the complainant asked to speak to her when she came on duty for the following night shift.

Miss Cutts said she had worked with Dr Khan over a number of years and regarded him as a “good and conscientious doctor” who would seek out a chaperone if he needed to examine a female patient.”

The trial judge, Judge John Pini QC on Wednesday, June 13 began summing all the evidence in the case and heard speeches from barristers representing Dr Khan and the prosecution.

Addressing the jury in his closing speech Mr Hockton, for Dr Khan, said the complainant had given inconsistent accounts at the hospital, to the police and in her evidence.

Mr Hockton told the jury: “These inconsistencies go to the heart of the allegation. They can not be reconciled.”

The jury are expected to retire to begin considering their verdict on Thursday.

Dr Khan, of Mayfair Gardens, Boston, denies one charge of assault by penetration on 29 September, 2014.