GP jailed for seven years for assaulting patients

A former GP from Canterbury who conducted unnecessary genital examinations on male patients across almost two decades has been jailed for seven years.

Gregory Manson, 56, was convicted of 12 sexual assaults and four indecent assaults against nine males at Canterbury Crown Court on Thursday.

The 56-year-old, who was charged with 24 offences overall, was acquitted of six offences while two others were alternative charges which did not require verdicts.

During sentencing on Friday, Judge Simon Taylor KC said that Manson "periodically and opportunistically abused male patients" for almost all of his career.

The judge told Manson that he had "camouflaged sexual abuse in the context of medical examinations" for the better part of two decades.

He said: "The abuse of trust here is immense. People trusted you with access to their bodies and you abused that trust for your own sexual gratification.

"You were able to construct a false defence to justify your sexual assaults because that is something that is very easy for a GP to do."

The first complaint of sexual assault against Manson was filed in 2017.

Kent Police said this swiftly evolved into a large and complex investigation involving many former patients at the Cossington House Surgery in Canterbury.

Det Sgt Daniel Hall said: "This case highlights the impact that one voice can have in paving the way for more victims to speak up, and I want to commend the bravery of those who did.

"Their courage and testimonies helped secure this conviction and, most importantly, prevent further harm."

One of Manson's victims read out a personal impact statement in court on Friday in which he said he "never now visits the GP".

The victim added: "What still stuns me is how normal you made all of this seem.

"It was calculated, it was deliberate and we now know it was abuse. You built a wall of goodwill around yourself and then used it as a shield."

Manson, who denied the charges throughout, told the jury that his motivation was to rule out rare diseases which he had misdiagnosed in the past.

The former GP was remunerated by the NHS at 90% of his salary following his suspension in 2017.

This remuneration then halved in November 2023 and stopped in 2024, the court heard.

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