low graphics version | feedback | help
| Front Page World |
| UK |
|
Northern Ireland Scotland Wales |
| UK Politics Business Sci/Tech Health Education Sport Entertainment Talking Point In Depth Audio/Video |
'Homosexual threat' to ex-BMA chief
The court heard about the incident at Mr Ditta's home |
A man has gone on trial charged with attempting to extort £30,000 from the former secretary of the British Medical Association in Scotland.
Dr Brian Potter, who resigned from his BMA post last month after four years with the organisation, said a male patient took his hand and placed it on his private parts during a home visit.
The 47-year-old doctor, who is now unemployed but still registered as a medical practitioner with the General Medical Council, said Mahboob Ditta had been a patient of the city GP office where he worked eight years ago.
Mr Ditta had requested a home visit in 1991, complaining of a sore back and abdominal pain, he said. He had not met the accused before.
'No medical problem'
"He answered the door and just had a dressing gown on," said Dr Potter told Edinburgh Sheriff Court.
He told the jury that Mr Ditta took the gown off for the examination which in his front room. Dr Potter said he did not detect a medical problem.
He went on recount the incident during which, he said, Mr Ditta took his hand and touched his private parts. He said he suddenly "came to" and left.
Dr Brian Potter: Gave evidence to court |
Earlier in the trial he had said that seven years later on 26 May 26, 1998, he received an E-mail from Mr Ditta at his BMA office, asking him to phone.
Dr Potter said the last time he had spoken to the accused was a year earlier and he suspected what the call was about.
Mr Ditta asked to speak to him about "something important" and they arranged to meet at the Northern Bar in Inverleith Row.
Following niceties, Ditta referred to an incident that had taken place at his home.
'Press would be interested'
"He said it was a very bad thing that I had done and that it would be very bad for my family when they found out about it and the press would be interested and the General Medical Council and a few other groups of people, I can't remember.
"But he liked me and he hoped we could sort something out," Dr Potter said.
Mr Ditta denies - at the Northern Bar, the Royal Botanical Gardens and a public phone at his Tanfield flat or elsewhere, all Edinburgh, between 26 and 29 May last year, with the intention of placing Dr Potter in fear of losing his job and good reputation - threatening to reveal that Dr Potter had been involved in homosexual conduct with him to the police, the media, the General Medical Council, the BMA and others.
The trial continues.
|
Search BBC News Online |
|
|
 Advanced search options | |
| |
 | |
 | |
| |
 | BBC RADIO NEWS |
| |
| |
 | BBC ONE TV NEWS |
| |
| |
| WORLD NEWS SUMMARY |
| |
| |
| |
| |
 | PROGRAMMES GUIDE |
|
|
Internet links: |
|
 |
|
 |
The Scottish Court Service |
| |
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites |
|
Links to other Scotland stories are at the foot of the page.
E-mail this story to a friend
~RS~a~RS~international~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~31~RS~)