A GP has gone on trial accused of raping a vulnerable schoolgirl who he ‘secretly medicated’ with anti-depressants not licensed for children.

Dr Stephen Hamilton, 45, from Altrincham, is alleged to have given the girl citalopram over a period when he was subjecting her to degrading sexual abuse.

Manchester Crown Court heard allegations that he would put his hands around the girl’s neck as he attacked her and told her ‘you deserve to die’.

Dr Hamilton, who is a partner at Bolton’s Heaton Medical

Centre, denies six charges of rape, three charges of sexual assault, four charges of child cruelty and a charge of administering a noxious substance.

He answered ‘not guilty’ to each of the 14 charges when they were put to him in front of the jury moments before his trial began.

The historic offences are alleged to have occurred over two-and-a-half years.

Dr Hamilton, of Gaskell Road, was arrested after the girl, who cannot be identified for legal

reasons, complained to a teacher in November 2011.

She went on to describe the alleged abuse in graphic terms to police, claiming that the GP would ‘restrict her breathing’ and ‘taunted her’ as he raped her.

The complainant alleges that she suffered ‘nightmares’ about Dr Hamilton as a result of the alleged abuse.

Opening the case, prosecutor Louise Blackwell QC told the jury that the complainant described Dr Hamilton as ‘very manipulative’.

She said:?“In essence, what she described is that he controlled her in every way possible – including secretly medicating her.”

It is alleged that a colleague at the practice reported Dr Hamilton to the General Medical Council when he learnt that he had prescribed the girl citalopram.

In police interviews following his arrest, Dr Hamilton said he was ‘completely exonerated’ by the GMC, the court heard.

Miss Blackwell added: “He threatened her that if she ever told anyone about anything of the sexual abuse that was taking place, that he would prove that she was making it up.”

A relative of the complainant is alleged to have said the girl was ‘frightened’ of Dr Hamilton.

The alleged victim told police Dr Hamilton would tell her she was ‘dirty’ and ‘filthy’ – leading her to ‘apologise to him’, the court heard.

Miss Blackwell also told the jury that Dr Hamilton had been said by a key witness to be someone who would ‘regularly speak about others in a derogatory way’.

The witness is alleged to have described him as ‘being prejudiced against those less intelligent than he is and those less physically fit than he is’.

Judge Richard Mansell QC warned the jury to ‘adopt a calm, dispassionate attitude’ to the

evidence during the trial, which is expected to last up to four weeks.

He said:

“Allegations of sexual offending, especially rape, can cause people to experience a range of emotions.

“It can engender feeling of sympathy or pity, outrage and disgust. Bear in mind these remain allegations unless and until you as a jury of 12 decide so that you are sure that the defendant is guilty of one or more of the allegations.

“Do not allow such feelings, if you have them, to affect your judgement in this case.”