GP cleared of molesting patients

A Merseyside doctor has been cleared of indecently assaulting four women patients.

But Dr Carlos Azurdia, who is Tranmere Rovers football club's doctor, faces a further 11 allegations involving a further eight women.

The 65-year-old retired GP was found not guilty on the judge's direction of four charges at the end of the prosecution case.

It is alleged that over 30 years he sexually molested the eight patients who had attended his surgery in Bebington, Wirral.

The allegations came to the notice of the police last year after one of the alleged victims complained to her social worker about what had happened.

When police made inquiries at the surgery they discovered there had been a complaint in 1999 by another woman to whom an apology had been given.

Intimate examinations

Dr Azurdia, a father of four from Reservoir Road North, Prenton, Wirral, denies 11 offences of indecent assault between 1970 and 2001.

Asked by his barrister Keiran Coonan QC at Liverpool Crown Court about his examination methods for ante-natal patients Dr Azurdia said he would usually carry out breast and vaginal examinations.

"I thought I would look after my patients ante-natally as well as the hospital," he said.

"I wanted to keep my standards as high as possible by doing a full examination in every case."

Dr Azurdia became a GP in 1969 and practiced for 30 years at Bebington Health Centre, later called the Civic Medical Centre.

He retired as senior partner in October 2001, but is still club doctor for Tranmere Rovers attending all their home games.

The case continues.