Trainee Dudley GP denies exposing breast of woman patient with swollen ankles
A trainee GP accused of sexually assaulting five women patients in ten days has admitted checking an area below the breast of one who wanted treatment for swollen ankles.
But Amirul Haque told the Wolverhampton Crown Court jury: “I did not expose any of her breast myself. I asked her to lift up the bra so I could place the stethoscope below her breast.
"I was told never to listen over material because it interferes with the sound. For ideal conditions it has to be on the skin.”
The 33-year-old, who had just started a four month placement in Dudley, said the patient had been ‘quite breathless’ which, when combined with swollen legs, made him think a potential cause could be ‘heart failure issues.’
The defendant described placing the stethoscope in the middle of her sternum.
He went on: “The key area is between the fifth and sixth ribs so I asked her to lift her bra so I could place the stethoscope underneath her breast to get skin to skin contact.”
He denied putting the stethoscope on her nipples.
The patient told the court: “He lifted my bra up and examined my breasts. He didn’t ask if he could do that. I work in a hospital and know what an examination is like but this did not feel right.”
Haque from Ladypool Road, Balsall Heath denies five charges of sexual assault and the case continues.
