Doctor convicted of sexually assaulting women after persuading them to undergo intimate examinations

A former GP who abused his trusted position has been convicted of sexually assaulting his patients after persuading them to undergo unjustified invasive examinations.

Manish Shah, whose appointments would often be fully booked, is found guilty of 25 sexual assaults against four women at his Romford clinic in east London.

He is already serving three life sentences with a minimum term of 15 years in prison for his previous 90 offences.

With the latest guilty verdict, the total number of offences he is convicted of has gone up to 115, having subjected 28 women aged between 15 and 34 to sexual assault by penetration.

Shah, who was once “well regarded”, cited the instances of celebrities including actress Angelina Jolie to instil fear of cancer in his patients and make them undergo intimate examinations.

The Old Bailey heard that the doctor pretended himself as a “helpful" caring, considerate and solicitous doctor prepared to carry out extra examinations but manipulated and “abused" women who believed his words.

Some of the women who gave evidence said Shah would call them "star", "special girl" and his "favourite."

A teenager said the doctor described her as a beautiful girl who should become a model.

The doctor justified the examinations suggesting his patient had requested them, the court heard.

Other GPs had expressed concerns about Shah carrying out unjustified intrusive examinations, a BBC report said, adding that a receptionist had noticed the doctor had not been using a chaperone which should have been offered to patients during intimate examinations.

Prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones KC said Shah's behaviour with the young women illustrated sexual gratification and not his partients’ health was his ultimate motivation.

Shah "took advantage of his position to persuade women to have invasive vaginal examinations, breast examinations, intimate examinations, when there was no medical need for them to be conducted", Karmy-Jones said.

Shah’s sentencing will take place on January 9.