Birmingham Surgeon Found Guilty Of Sexually Assaulting Patients
18 November 2014, 13:24 | Updated: 18 November 2014, 16:45
An award winning Birmingham surgeon's been jailed for 16 years - after being found guilty of sexually assaulting patients.
Six women were abused during examinations after they'd come to him for help with back problems.
51-year-old Nafees Hamid from Moseley worked at the Queen Elizabeth and Priory Hospitals.
One of Hamid's victims has decided to speak out, but wanted her voice disguised to protect her identity:
Jurors heard that the victims, some of whom were described as vulnerable, were referred to Hamid for neurosurgical assessment over a two-year period.
The trial was told that Hamid encouraged some of his patients to remove their clothing and on occasions, removed their clothes himself without a chaperone being present.
He would then perform intimate examinations without wearing gloves, and made inappropriate sexual remarks.
Expert medical opinion was sought on the examination techniques being used by the surgeon, who defended his methods of practice after his arrest.
But an expert witness told jurors that Hamid had performed "inappropriate and medically unjustifiable'' examinations, ignoring General Medical Council guidelines.
At the start of the trial it was alleged that Hamid had also failed to accurately record his findings in order to cover his tracks.
DI Ian Ingram spoke to Capital and told us how the investigation unfolded.
Nafees Hamid Case - DI Ian Ingram
Commenting on the verdicts, Crown Advocate Aliya Rashid, who acted as junior prosecution counsel, said: "Nafees Hamid, whilst in a position of high trust, carried out intrusive and inappropriate examinations on vulnerable women while masking his true purpose, which was personal sexual gratification.
"These examinations left women shocked, confused, embarrassed and deeply upset.
"Many were fearful about reporting one of the most highly esteemed consultant neurosurgeons to the authorities.
"It is due to their courage and the cogent evidence they gave that Hamid has been found guilty today of his crimes.''
Lisa Windridge, Senior Crown Prosecutor from the West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service's Public Protection Unit, said: "This case is an example of a gross breach of trust at the highest level and I would like to thank all those victims who came forward and assisted the whole of the prosecution team in exposing this man.''