Ex-Berkshire GP sex attacker 'thought victim enjoyed' abuse

A victim of sexual assaults by a GP has said his abuser "chillingly" claimed he might enjoy the experience.

Dr Robin Borthwick attacked the boy on multiple occasions in west Berkshire in the 1970s and 1980s, a jury at Reading Crown Court has decided.

The 78-year-old former GP was handed an absolute discharge due to his ill health, following a trial of the facts.

The victim told the BBC the attacks had left him struggling with depression and thoughts of ending his life.

He said: "The memories are seared into my consciousness. I can remember absolutely everything.

"I thought he needed to examine me and I did exactly what he said.

"I remember quite clearly as an eight, nine-year-old boy... just climbing into bed, cuddling my teddy... and I think I just cried myself to sleep."

Dr Borthwick attacked the boy from the ages of nine to about 13 or 14 at a GP surgery and elsewhere, the court heard.

On one occasion he showed the victim a "violent, pornographic video" before abusing him, the jury was told.

The former GP was charged with four counts of indecent assault relating to the single complainant.

A trial of the facts - which cannot lead to a guilty verdict - was held because the defendant was deemed to be too ill to stand trial.

After the jury's decision, the victim told the court Dr Borthwick "treated me like his piece of meat, like a lamb to the slaughter".

He added: "Not for one moment did he consider his acts on a defenceless young child, on me. He took what he wanted and tore my life to pieces."

Det Con Joanna Williams said a key witness in the case was a monk who revealed Dr Borthwick had confessed in 2022 to "touching a boy".

The victim, who cannot be identified, said the monk's approach to police was a "moment of complete and utter vindication".

He said: "Being a survivor of sexual abuse is just an ongoing struggle for survival.

"I found out during the course of the investigation that he'd said that he thought I would enjoy it.

"I would say to all of his patients, members of his community, all of those children, all of those parents of those children where he'd carried out intimate examinations, that is probably the most chilling statement that you would hear from a GP."

The victim said he had been too scared to speak out against Dr Borthwick, who was "a larger-than-life character, pillar of the community... churchgoer and family man".

He added: "For me it's about the truth and just getting the facts out there.

"If that encourages just one more person who's been the victim of abuse to come forward and to talk about it then that's a good thing."

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