East Lancashire doctor's 'three hospital sex attacks in one day'

3:14pm Wednesday 23rd July 2008

A DOCTOR sexually assaulted three hospital gynaecology patients - including one who had miscarried - on the same day, a jury was told.

Mannan Masud, 41, touched ‘vulnerable woman on intimdate parts of their body’ and asked one questions about her sex life, the prosecution claim.

Masud, who lived in London Walk, Blackburn, qualified as a doctor in Pakistan and was on a clinical attachment under Consultant General Surgeon David Sandilands at Burnley General Hospital.

He was not allowed to examine patients but turned up at the three women’s bedsides alone and without their medical notes, the jury was told.

Masud denies three allegations of sexual assault last August and has gone on trial at Burnley Crown Court.

Roberts Elias, prosecuting, said the three women were patients on the Edith Watson Ward.

The first alleged victim had come back from theatre when the defendant put his head around the curtain drawn around her bed, Mr Elias said.

He did not introduce himself and began to question her, the jury was told.

Mr Elias said Masud began to touch her stomach and when she asked him if he was her doctor he did not reply and left.

The patient went to see another woman on the ward and overheard the defendant asking the woman intimate questions about her sex life in the adjoining cubicle, Mr Elias said.

Mr Elias said the second alleged victim had been admitted for a hysterectomy.

Masud drew back her curtains and began to question her, then rubbing her feet and ankles before making his way up her legs with his hands, the court was told.

Masud helped her take down her pants, pressed her stomach and touched her indecently, Mr Elias said.

He also touched her on her inner thighs and at the top of her thighs, the jury was told.

The court was told Masud also asked the woman if she experienced pain when she had sex.

Mr Elias said the third alleged victim had been admitted as an emergency that day, was 13 weeks pregnant and was having a miscarriage.

Masud asked to check her stomach, put his right had on it and then put his right hand to her forehead and then held her right hand, before leaving, Mr Elias said.

The first two alleged victims reported the defendant’s alleged behaviour and when the third woman became aware, she did the same thing.

Masud was arrested at hospital.

Masud told police he did not know ward was the gynaecological ward that he thought the complaints were the result of a misunderstanding.

Mr Elias told the jury the defendant denied getting any sexual gratification from touching the three patients and said: “These were vulnerable women touched on intimate parts of their bodies by somebody who should not have been there.”

(Proceeding)

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