Last updated at 14:56, Sunday, 19 August 2012

A DOCTOR accused of molesting a patient during a medical examination has been cleared.

DR COLIN CAMPBELL

Dr Colin Campbell, of Rampside Road, Barrow, appeared before a Medical Practitioners Tribunal in Manchester earlier this month.

It was alleged Dr Campbell had molested a female patient, known as patient A, when treating her at his Manchester clinic in 2009 for a back injury.

However, a panel cleared Dr Campbell after finding inconsistencies in his accuser’s evidence.

The patient had been referred to the doctor at his clinic on St John Street, in Manchester, after surgery failed to cure her pain after a back injury in 2007.

She attended three appointments – in October 2008, April 2009 and then in September 2009.

The patient didn’t complain in her first or second visit but following the third visit she claimed she was sexually assaulted.

But Dr Campbell’s legal team argued that she wrongly mistook a lower abdominal examination for something sexual.

Dr Campbell did admit he did not ask the patient if she wanted a chaperone, such as her husband or a friend, for the appointments – which is standard practice – but that did not amount to misconduct.

The panel concluded: “Patient A did not give the panel the impression that she was giving her oral evidence in an honest and open way.

“(We) formed the view that the evidence as to Patient A’s behaviour immediately after the alleged sexual assault is not what would be expected of a victim of a sexual assault.”

When approached by the Evening Mail Dr Campbell said he was unable to comment due to patient confidentiality.

First published at 13:10, Sunday, 19 August 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk