Touching was part of skin exam, court told
An alternative therapist accused of sexually assaulting a patient who saw him for acne on her face told a court he did touch her legs and bottom – but said it was part of the normal examination.
Alexander James Dhillon denied that he told the woman her skin on her legs was 'like velvet' during the consultation, but told the jury: "I did say it was very soft".
The 49-year-old, who ran his Imperial Herbs clinic from his office on Park Avenue in Wolverhampton, insisted that he did not unclasp the 23-year-old's bra, or put his hands inside her underwear.
The homeopath, who has had training in Chinese medicine and nutrition, denies the charge of sexual assault and gave evidence at Wolverhampton Crown Court yesterday.
The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, visited Dhillon on October 28 last year to see if he could help her with the acne on her face. He told the court that she had taken off her jumper during the consultation, and that is when he had noticed a rash on her neckline and collar bone.
Miss Samantha Forsyth, defending, asked him whether he had touched her t-shirt to look at the rash. He said: "I moved the t-shirt, I pulled the neckline across."
Miss Forsyth asked if he touched her bra to see the rash. He said: "She had a slightly loose bra showing, I moved the top part across."
Miss Forsyth asked: "Did you undo the bra? He said: "No. She had her t-shirt on at the time."
He told the court that she also had a blue vein on her hip and said this could be to do with hormonal problems.
"She pulled her leggings down a bit to show me, and then I asked if I can look further to see how extensive this was and she said yes," he said.
Dhillon said she had pulled down her leggings further and he had helped her. He examined the blue vein, and carried out a 'skin fold test', which involved pinching the skin on her, stomach, arms, legs and buttocks, to check for water retention.
Dhillon, of Park Avenue, told the court: "She had loose skin on her inner thigh area."
He added: "Unfortunately I said she had the skin tone of an old woman, an old lady. I don't think my comments went down too well."
He told the court that he is known as 'James the herbalist', and has never used the title Dr.
The trial continues.
