A trainee GP touched a patient's vagina and breasts and asked her about sex after she went to visit him for a consultation about her anaemia, Basildon Crown Court today.

A trainee GP touched a patient's vagina and breasts and asked her about sex after she went to visit him for a consultation about her anaemia, a court heard.

Dr Kamran Ali is said to have asked the woman about sex and whether she masturbated before sexually touching her as he carried out his examination - in what prosecutors say was a case of 'molesting'.

He is also accused of sexually assaulting three other women during consultations on matters such as acne medication and contraception pills.

The doctor was flanked by a female security guard in the dock when he appeared before Basildon Crown Court.

The 39-year-old, originally from Pakistan, today denied six charges of sexual assault and one count of assault by penetration.

Stephen Rose, prosecuting, said: 'The prosecution case is that this defendant Dr Kamran Ali sexually assaulted four of his female patients on occasions between September and November 2016 whilst he was working as a trainee GP.

The jury of seven men and five women heard how Ali started work at The Hollies Surgery in Hadleigh, Essex, in August - just a month before the first alleged sexual assault - and was in the final year of his training to become a GP.

His first alleged victim made an appointment to see a doctor because she was suffering from anaemia.

The court heard how the patient declined a chaperone during the examination.

Mr Rose said: 'At this stage the prosecution say the appointment begins to take a rather odd turn.

'He asked her if she was sexually active and during the court of the examination asked her to remove her trousers.

'He examined her initially in a standing position before asking her to lie down. He then asked her again if she was sexually active and asked if she masturbated and asked a question about her pubic hair.

'He then placed his fingers in her vagina and felt around and was looking at her face whilst doing this.'

The jury heard how Ali was not wearing gloves whilst he carried out the intimate examination.

Ali sat with his head bowed during the prosecution's opening before making notes whilst in the dock.

The jury heard how he also looked at the patient's breasts before 'touching her around the nipple area' during the same consultation.

'She was concerned, to say the least, she was unsettled both by the things the defendant said and by the way in which he touched her or examined her.

'He ended [the examination] by saying he did not think she had anything to worry about.

'To put it bluntly, she felt she was molested. There is no confusion in her mind', Mr Rose added.

The worried patient - who cannot be named - spoke to her mum about what happened and a complaint was made the following day.

Mr Rose told the court how Ali worked as a doctor in Pakistan but did not have any record of complaints against him prior to his work in England.

Another victim visited the surgery for a complaint about her acne medication.

The doctor was flanked by a female security guard in the dock when he appeared before Basildon Crown Court. The 39-year-old, originally from Pakistan, today denied six charges of sexual assault and one count of assault by penetration

It was alleged that during that consultation, also in November 2016, he stroked his hand on her bottom 'a number of times'.

Mr Rose asked the jury to consider 'what can be the possible medical justification for doing anything like that?'.

Ali is then said to have suggested he needed to check 'down there' - indicating her pubic area - before pulling the front of her shorts down and touching her labia and declaring 'it was fine'.

Again the trainee GP did not wear medical gloves and on this occasion did not ask if the patient wanted a chaperone.

The worried patient later texted her boyfriend about what happened and also told her mum, the court heard.

Another woman went in for a discussion about her contraceptive medication only for Ali to say he needed to feel her legs, which he did for up to 15 seconds.

And a fourth alleged victim told police how she had seen the GP only to be asked how often she had sex and was quizzed about her breasts.

Ali allegedly then leaned forward touching her legs before saying 'this is where we need to be very careful'.

When allegations started to be made against the doctor, police then contacted his patients leading to more complaints.

Ali was arrested and later admitted to touching one patient's vagina but said it was part of his examination but denied there was any sexual element to what had occurred.

He denied touching the second patient's vagina and breasts, saying he had no recollection of that happening.

After providing written statements to police for later interviews he then refused to answer questions.

Ali, who lives in Leigh on Sea, Essex, is on bail during his trial which is expected to last about two weeks.

The trial continues.