Christopher Bealey successfully defends physiotherapist charged with sexually motivated conduct.

Christopher was representing a physiotherapist charged with exposing and massaging a patient’s buttocks without consent. The HCPC further alleged that given this conduct was not clinically justified, it must have been sexually motivated. Additional charges related to the documentation of the alleged treatment and provision of a chaperone. The physiotherapist, of good character, accepted treating the patient but denied behaving in the manner alleged. Given the time that had passed, the registrant had no recollection of the individual patient and treatment session.

As is common in these types of cases, there was no third party witness to the treatment and so the HCPC case relied on the evidence of the patient and the treatment notes. Christopher carefully cross examined the patient and the HCPC’s medical expert, highlighting difficulties with the account provided and documentation/chaperone requirements in a clinical setting. The registrant gave evidence to support his account.

Following closing submissions on fact, the panel found none of the factual elements of the allegations proven and the case stopped after the fact-finding stage.

Christopher was instructed by Harjinder Saundh of Thompsons Solicitors.