Former GP Gregory Manson jailed for sexual assault of male patients

The Crown Prosecution Service reported that Manson practised as a GP at Cossington House Surgery from 1999 to 2017 where he carried out unnecessary examinations of men’s genitals, without offering a chaperone to them or explaining the reasons for the examinations.

It adds that Manson, 56, did not detail the examination in the patient notes.

Manson, 56, of Canterbury, was tried at Canterbury Crown Court where he was also acquitted of two counts of indecent assault and three counts of sexual assault.

The BBC reports that the judge told Manson he had "camouflaged sexual abuse in the context of medical examinations" for the better part of two decades.

He said: "The abuse of trust here is immense. People trusted you with access to their bodies and you abused that trust for your own sexual gratification.”

An investigation was launched by Kent Police after one victim came forward and further victims were then identified.

Head of Leigh Day abuse team, partner Alison Millar represents many clients who are survivors of abuse in a healthcare setting.

Alison Millar said:

“We should all be able to trust medical professionals to act in our best interests and to do no harm.  Everybody is vulnerable in the context of the consulting room. 

“The use of a medical examination for personal sexual gratification is despicable and represents a gross deception and abuse of trust by the medical practitioner.

“Such abuse can have ongoing consequences, including for the patient’s ability to access medical care that they need in the future.

“It can be really difficult for patients to come forward to complain about sexual misconduct by a healthcare professional.  It may not be obvious that abuse has taken place, because the doctor-patient relationship legitimises touching for the purpose of an intimate examination the doctor may have said was necessary, perhaps encouraging fears the patient may have about their health.

“I commend the bravery of those who have cooperated with the police to expose Gregory Manson’s wrongdoing.

“I hope a thorough review is carried out as to the surrounding circumstances in which this happened.  Gregory Manson appears to have offended over many years and questions need to be asked about how he was able to breach General Medical Council (GMC) guidelines on the use of chaperones during intimate examinations and whether the incidence of intimate examinations carried out by him was unusual and could have been red flagged.”