Doctor cleared of sex attacks

GP Robert Owens denies the charges

A family doctor accused of sex assaults on three women patients has been cleared of all charges.

The judge ordered formal not guilty verdicts to be given, after the jury failed to reach decisions on 11 charges against Dr Robert Owens.

Dr Owens, a GP from Fairwater, Cardiff, had earlier been found not guilty of one charge of indecent assault.

It was the second trial for 44-year-old Dr Owens after an earlier jury also failed to reach verdicts.

On Tuesday, the jury of 10 men and one woman could not reach verdicts on the 11 charges after nearly eight hours of deliberations.

Hugs

Judge David Wyn Morgan ordered the not guilty verdicts after the prosecution offered no more evidence at Cardiff Crown Court.

He said: "You are discharged and formal verdicts of not guilty are ordered."

Dr Owens was accused of carrying out the attacks between 1995 and 2002, but always denied the charges.

After the not guilty verdicts, Dr Owens calmly walked from the court.

His family and friends hugged each other as he was freed.