GP who abused women patients to pay £38,000 in compensation

Gousul Islam, who was sent to prison for 11 years was told by a judge the case was “the worst case of its kind” he had seen in 40 years involving a professional man.

The 70-year-old GP, who started his sentence last month, was brought to court for a new hearing where his barrister argued it was “unjust and unfair” to impose compensation on top of his “severe” jail term.

But Judge Simon Lawler said he had “no hesitation” in rejecting the argument and praised the women for speaking out, awarding three of the victims £10,000 each for their pain and suffering.

He told Sheffield Crown Court: “This was on any view an exceptional case in terms of the extent of the period of abuse and the dreadful effect it had on some of the complainants.”

He said the three women had substantial psychological problems exacerbated by the GP following his abuse which was a “terrible commentary on a medical man who took an oath to counsel and to care.”

In his consulting room at a village surgery, Islam abused teenage girls and young women under the pretext of examinations.

He was found guilty after a six-week trial of 18 offences of indecent assault against seven women patients at the Lyndhurst surgery in Stainforth, Doncaster from January 1970 to June 1995.

The women, who cannot be named, were not present in court for the new hearing which is mandatory under new legislation if the judge feels compensation is appropriate.

One of the women awarded £10,000 said she went to the doctor in her 20s over her problems with sexual intercourse and the GP told her: “Silly girl, your partner must be tearing his hair out.”

The judge said she was subjected by the GP to “the most terrible things” which severely affected her marriage and “it was no wonder that the jury were in tears”.

A woman who first went to see Dr Islam when she was 14 after a cancer scare with a lump on her breast was also awarded £10,000. After an initial visit she said the GP “had her bust out” every time she went, even for an injured wrist.

The judge said the GP subjected her to “persistent and prolonged suffering which made her situation worse”.

A third woman awarded £10,000 was tricked into performing oral sex with the doctor. The judge said: “It must have been extremely traumatic and distressing.”

Another woman whom the GP regularly abused in her teens was awarded £5,000. Three more women were awarded £1,500, £1,000 and £750 respectively.

Islam, of Station Road, Hatfield, Doncaster, who single-handedly ran the surgery until 2009, is suffering from a variety of ailments including mild dementia and walks with a stick following hip surgery.

He claimed to have acted with “professionalism and decorum” at all times and said the women were either mistaken or had been lying.

His barrister Timothy Langdale QC told the compensation hearing that none of the complainants had applied for compensation and any award would be “inappropriate”.

He argued any emotional distress or upset caused by the GP did not amount to “anything of real significance” and if compensation was awarded it should be “very minimal”.

But Sarah Wright, prosecuting, said the imposition of a long jail term was no reason not to award compensation.

She said: “Each of the women has to some degree suffered emotional distress and psychological harm, and significant and long-standing distress in some cases.”

Judge Lawler said he had seen at first-hand “over many, many weeks” the effect on the victims and ruled that their concern was not seeking financial gain but that “their stories should be told and heard.”

He ordered Islam to pay the women a total of £38,250 compensation within six months.

The doctor’s assets were not revealed in court but the defence said they could raise the sum.