A top psychiatrist led an ‘angry and resentful’ pu
A top psychiatrist led an ‘angry and resentful’ public schoolgirl to believe she was a victim of sex abuse, the GMC heard today (MONDAY).
Dr John Eastgate, a consultant child psychiatrist, allegedly mishandled a sensitive case that resulted in the youngster being taken into care and her Somerset family ‘pulled assunder.
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Dr Eastgate, 55, ‘ingrained’ the idea in the teenager’s mind that she had been sexually assaulted by a professor during treatment to slow down her abnormal growth.
Aged 13 in 1996 the girl, now an Oxbridge undergraduate, went on to make further allegations of sexual abuse against three more men – including her father.
Dr Eastgate had helped the teenager to believe that a ‘creep’ in the medical professional ‘stroked her breasts’ and touched her in other ‘intimate places’.
The girl’s mother, who was present throughout the examinations, was said to be ‘astonished’ at the allegations made against a specialist referred to as only Professor X.
Her grandmother had attended one of the consultations.
Dr Eastgate, of Brinkworth Road, Swindon, Wiltshire, then
reported the matter to the police and social services, without investigating the truth of the matter.
His actions are said to fly in the face of the authority of the Cleveland Inquiry.
Joanna Glynn, QC, for the GMC, said: ‘This is a case that concerns the management of an allegation of so-called sexual abuse made by a very bright, angry, and at the time resentful 13-year-old girl who was undergoing a number of adolescent difficulties at the time.
‘The case concerns the erroneous way, we submit, it was handled by Eastgate, who at the time handled her care.
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Miss Glynn said the consultant, who first qualified at Bristol University in 1973, was working at the Princess Margaret Hospital, Swindon.
She alleged the doctor is guilty of serious professional misconduct for failing to apply the principles of good practice.
‘It is very dangerous when faced with a child saying something that is equivocal to start from the premise that sexual abuse did occur, and furthermore, to indicate to that child the psychiatrist’s view of what he thought had happened – or any preconceived ideas,’ said Miss Glynn.
‘The dangers of a doctor doing this are it is likely to lead the child to the perception she is indeed an abused child – which is likely, almost certain, to have a huge impact on the child’s psychological functioning.
‘In this case she was a bright, angry resentful and difficult adolescent.
The doctor’s action makes it likely she can justify her anger in her own eyes, and colour the things she will have to say later.
‘After the initial allegations were made against Professor X, none of which we suggest are true, she went on to make three very serious allegations against other people – including her father.
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The barrister said the additional allegations ‘pulled the family assunder for years.
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Miss Glynn added: ‘Indeed, the child concerned was placed in care, and one can only marvel she is now studying at an Oxbridge college and living with her family in vacations.
‘It is difficult to over estimate the effect of what happened in 1996 on this girl and her family – and it is difficult to over estimate the seriousness of the initial mishandling by Eastgate, what the case is all about.
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The eldest of three chidren, Miss A’s parents became concerned about her abnormal height and she was referred by her GP to the ‘highly respected’ Professor X – who saw the girl five times between Janaury 1993 and August 1995.
The girl, whose family live on a country estate, was treated with oestrogen to bring on puberty early and limit further growth.
Monitoring the patient involved undoing her bra to look at the development of her breasts and looking at the growth of pubic hair – although her knickers remained on.
‘Examination required no touching of the patient except measuring folds of skin on her back,’ said Miss Glynn.
‘And x-rays confirmed the treatment was successful.
‘It is worthy of note that at no time was Miss A on her own with Professor X.
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However, the committee heard that the patient did not like the professor and her mother was concerned about his ‘bedside manner.
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The professor was concerned over the tendency over tall women to develop ovarian cysts and noted she should not become ‘too heavy.
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Miss Glynn said it was something that Miss A, now aged 20, ‘specifically’ did not like.
The youngster went to a West Country boarding school where at first she appeared to be doing very well.
But in February 1996 she appeared to be developing an eating disorder.
She was first referred to a London psychiatrist who feared she might be developing anorexia nervosa.
Eastgate first saw Miss A in April 1996 and diagnosed a severe depression, noting ‘I am increasingly concerned about the depth of her misery.
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He realised she was becoming estranged from her parents, was grieving for a family friend who had died of cancer and was upset a favourite horse had been sold without her being consulted.
Miss A was admitted to the hospital after taking an overdose amid fears she was suicidal and had thoughts of self-harm.
Miss Glynn said the consultation on July 9, 1996 ‘triggered’ the suspicion of abuse.
Miss A was questioned by the doctor, who noted: ‘I asked whether it happened once or on a number of occasions.
Miss A said it happened on a number of occasions.
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Miss Glynn said the word ‘it’ was highly significant, the doctor then asking when the girl ‘first felt uncomfortable.
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She added: ‘There is the seed from which the other allegations made by Miss A start to grow.
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Miss Glynn said in the following consultations Eastgate failed to keep a verbatim note of their conversation.
She said in five lines and three words, the doctor recorded how Miss A claimed at the age of nine ‘her breasts were stroked by the professor and he touched her in other intimate places.
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She said the repeated talk of abuse ‘ingrained’ such an allegation in the child’s mind as being the truth.
And she alleged the doctor gave his opinion what the professor had done ‘sounded wrong’ and he was ‘worried that he might have done it to other children as well.
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Dr Eastgate denies serious professional misconduct and the hearing continues.
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