A doctor from Altrincham has gone on trial at Manchester Crown Court accused with raping a 14 year old schoolgirl who he ‘secretly medicated’ with anti-depressants.
The jury heard how Dr Stephen Hamilton, a GP at the Heaton Medical Centre, Bolton, allegedly raped the girl more than 40 times over a two and a half year period, starting when she was only aged 11.
It is also alleged that he gave the girl Citalopram, an anti depressant which is not licensed for children, during the period of abuse. The court have heard that when Dr Hamilton’s partner at the GP practice found out about this he reported him to the General Medical Council.
Dr Hamilton has been charged with 14 counts of raping a child under the age of 13, including a charge of administering a noxious substance. All the charges relate to incidents said to have happened between June, 2007 and November, 2009. He denies each charge.
The court heard that the allegations only came to light in 2011, when the girl confided in a friend and her deputy head teacher.
Details were relayed as to how he would taunt her and blame her for the sexual activity which took place. After the final time he raped her in 2009, it is alleged Dr Hamilton threatened the girl and told her that if she ever told anyone about the abuse he would prove she was mentally ill and that she was making it all up.
The young girl involved has stated that she suffered nightmares as a result of the alleged abuse.
After his arrest, Dr Hamilton denied the girl’s allegations and claimed he had been exonerated by the General Medical Council about prescribing the drugs.
The trial is set to last for up to four weeks.
Here at Farleys we are specialists in helping victims claim compensation for abuse suffered at the hands of individuals in a role of responsibility, whether it be a doctor, nurse, teacher, care worker etc. If you require advice on how to make a successful claim, please do not hesitate to get in contact with one our child abuse claim solicitors.