A DOCTOR accused of groping a St Albans woman during a shoulder examination was cleared of indecently assaulting her at a London court on Tuesday, July 24.

Dr Arjan Savani, 34, admitted telling his 22-year-old patient she had "a lovely figure" but denied touching her in an indecent way.

He was said to have molested the computer worker when she visited the emergency department of Hammersmith Hospital, complaining of severe shoulder pains.

According to the patient, Dr Savani ordered her to take off her pullover and lie on a bed before he began massaging her back and shoulders.

She claims he then told her to take off her bra and then began rubbing her breasts.

Giving evidence, Dr Savani insisted he had given her a proper examination of her back, neck and shoulders on July 3 last year.

A locum at the hospital for five months, Dr Savani accepted he had told the woman she had "a lovely figure", but explained the comment was made to reassure her about her weight, as she was suffering from anorexia.

Dr Savani denied the prosecution's allegation that he had also commented on her "very nice breasts". He told the court: "I did not indecently assault her."

Defending Dr Savani, Mr Alan Jenkins said the woman had been "highly inconsistent" in her evidence and initially only complained about his comments.

The barrister said: "What she told to the nurse at the hospital was completely different to what she told us. She did not complain in the hospital that Dr Savani had touched her breasts. That suggestion was only made some time later."

Dr Savani, of Kenton, Middlesex, denied the charge of indecent assault and was cleared by the jury after just over an hour's deliberation.

July 25, 2001 16:13