GP blackmailed by patient over ‘gay massage’ is struck off
The General Medical Council has struck off a doctor who masturbated a male patient while giving him a massage and then paid him £100 a week not to report the incident.
A fitness to practise panel ruled this week that Dr Lewis Dickinson’s behaviour was an abuse of his professional position and his conduct towards the patient was inappropriate and sexually motivated.
In May 2002 the alleged blackmailer, an HIV positive asylum seeker from Ghana, was given a massage by Dr Dickinson at his Camberwell surgery.
He claimed his genitals were handled by the doctor, who mastubated him.
At their next appointment, the patient confronted Dr Dickinson about the incident and was offered “£100 a week for the rest of his life to keep him quiet,” reports the South London Press.
Dr Dickinson paid for more than two years, but when he stopped the patient went to the police and he was subsequently charged him with blackmail.
In May 2006 Dr Dickinson was acquited in court of sexual assault.
The man claimed that he was put into a trance by the doctor. When he awoke, the man alleged that the doctor was masturbating him. Since the event the man claimed that he was traumatised and accepted £100 a week from the doctor to help him recover.
The patient denied knowing that Dr Dickinson was gay but admitted that he was paid more than £12,000 between May 2002 and October 2004. He then demanded £60,000 from the doctor for “emotional pain.”
The man denied removing his clothes and turning himself over as the doctor treated him for back pain.
Alan Jenkins, defending, argued that the masturbation was consensual.
“You had an erection and he asked if you would like him to masturbate you, and you said yes. I have suggested it was a consensual act, albeit out of place in a doctor’s surgery.”
The man denied the accusation.
The prosecution withdrew their case due to a lack of evidence.
Dr Dickinson has not practised since 2002.
His professional performance was ruled unacceptable in 10 areas, with cause for concern in another three, by a GMC assessment team.
In its final statement this week the GMC said striking him off the medical register was “necessary to ensure the protection of patients, to maintain public confidence in the profession and to declare and uphold proper standards of conduct and behaviour.”
