Compensation for doctor's victims

Some of the victims were cross-examined by Ayling

The female patients abused by disgraced doctor Clifford Ayling have been awarded compensation totalling more than £250,000.

Ayling, 70, is currently serving a prison sentence for sex assaults against 10 of his former patients.

The group of sixteen women were awarded sums ranging from £11,000 to £33,000 each.

Ayling, who practised in Folkestone, Kent, from 1975, was jailed for four years in December 2000 for 13 counts of indecent assault on 10 female patients.

'Humiliated women'

Sarah Harman, the solicitor acting for the women, told Canterbury Crown Court that Ayling carried out a catalogue of indecent assaults at his surgery and also while working as an on-call doctor.

She told the court how Ayling humiliated and degraded women by carrying out prolonged and unnecessary breast and internal examinations.

Ayling was jailed for four years in December 2000

During the assessment of damages, Ayling was allowed out of prison to represent himself.

He carried out rambling cross-examinations on some of the women.

Others were not required to give evidence in person but were in tears at the sight of the doctor.

After awarding damages Judge William Poulton said: "His well-founded view that doctors' orders should be followed and his lack of restraint in pursuing his own sexual gratification have brought him to disaster and have brought to his patients unpleasantness and trauma.

"He cannot bring himself to accept... that his insistence in examining these patients in the way he did amounted to assault and indecent assault."

'Feeling ashamed'

Angela Hodges, who was awarded £17,000, said: "The good that will come out of this is that doctors will not be allowed to play God and assault patients on the pretence that they are taking extra care.

"It's been very traumatic but I've tried to be as strong as best I can."

Angela Hodges has forgiven her former GP

"My Ayling was always a good doctor with respect to my asthma and my migraines but when it came to intimate examinations I knew what he was going to do.

"I thought I was the only one and thought no one would ever believe me.

"I felt quite sorry for him as he is an old man and I have to forgive him for what he did to me as I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I didn't."

Another former patient, Jacqui Godden, 34, was awarded the highest sum, £33,000.

The mother-of-four said: "Seeing Ayling face to face has brought back a lot of memories for me.

"I'm pleased, I was expecting a lot less. I'm glad he has been punished.

"I think he should be feeling ashamed really."