A Cambridge, United Kingdom doctor accused of having sex with 90 women at his GP surgery has apologised to his former lovers and patients.
The doctor, Dr. Tom Plimmer is accused of inviting women to the surgery in Swindon, Wiltshire, for sex during working hours.
He told the tribunal that he felt ‘ashamed’ at having destroyed a string of women’s lives by ‘lying’ and ‘cheating’, but blamed his addiction to sex for his actions.
The 40-year-old said he had never sought ‘power’ over any of his lovers and insisted that every one of his sexual relationships had been consensual.
He also allegedly swapped innuendo-filled messages with a female colleague before they embarked on weekly sexual encounters in his consulting room.
Giving evidence for the first time on Thursday, September 21, Dr Plimmer told a medical tribunal that the way he had treated women had been ‘disgusting’.
‘I betrayed their trust, I disrespected them, I lied and cheated, and there’s no excuse,’ he told the hearing.
‘I feel immense shame for everything I did.’
Cross-examined by Mark Monaghan, counsel for the General Medical Council, Dr Plimmer admitted he was ‘guilty of creating a lot of the mess we’re here discussing’.
But he insisted he hadn’t ‘revelled’ in upsetting the women or tried to ‘manipulate’ them.
Denying using his girlfriends for sex, Dr Plimmer insisted he had been seeking ‘companionship’ – but admitted regularly cheating on them.
Asked by Mr. Monaghan if it was ‘normal’ to be seeing three women at once, Dr Plimmer admitted it was ‘abnormal’.
‘It was shameful and regrettable, and it’s ended up causing a lot of hurt to a lot of people, and it’s all my fault,’ he said.
Dr Plimmer said the litany of deceit was a consequence of his self-confessed sex addiction, saying: ‘You will never see an active addict who isn’t also a liar.’
The tribunal – which is taking place through online sessions – previously heard that Dr Plimmer lied about family members including his mother being ill while attempting to ‘juggle’ his string of girlfriends.
He said: ‘I sincerely apologise to the people I’ve lied to, my mum, brother, friends, colleagues, and of course the inadvertent consequences it’s had towards patients and being able to care for them.’
Earlier the Medical Practitioners Tribunal panel agreed to drop allegations that Dr Plimmer had sex with one of the women without her consent.
It also dropped claims that he pinned the woman – who is one of those who reported him to the GMC – to a bed and shouted words to the effect of ‘don’t you f****** talk to anyone you f****** ****’.
The move came following legal discussions after the woman, referred to as Miss D, declined to continue with her evidence.
The hearing continues.
