The fate of a United Kingdom doctor hangs in the balance after it was revealed that he filmed himself having sex with women in his consulting room while patients waited outside.
Self-confessed sex addict Dr Tom Plimmer, 40, showed a colleague the homemade porn videos he had shot in the consulting room of his surgery in Swindon.
Plimmer, who appeared on Channel 4 show First Dates in 2018, then sent a nurse, 197 photos and videos of him having sex with dozens of women after she was coerced into a relationship with him.
The Medical Practitioners Tribunal was told how Dr Plimmer invited two women he met on dating sites back to the surgery for sex during working hours.
He had sex with at least six women at his practice and sent pictures of his penis to his lovers while he waited for the next patient to come in from the waiting room.
Giving evidence at the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) hearing in Manchester he had apologised to his former lovers and patients for his ‘disgusting’ behaviour.
Dr Plimmer was earlier found guilty of a series of allegations in respect of his colleague including walking around with his trousers undone, sending unsolicited videos, and putting her hand on his erect penis.
A further charge against him of committing sex acts in the surgery was also found against him.
The colleague had told the hearing she began a ‘jovial’ friendship with Dr Plimmer with a playful ‘innuendo’ about a chocolate rabbit.
But in March 2018 he confided in her about his sex addiction and shared around 5,000 phone messages with her.
One message said: ‘Can I tell you a secret? You’re my favourite.’
Dr Plimmer showed her 197 photos and videos of himself having sex with other women, the Medical Practitioners Tribunal heard.
Giving evidence at the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) hearing in Manchester he had apologised to his former lovers and patients for his ‘disgusting’ behaviour
On one occasion, in January 2019 he led her to his consulting room before placing her hand on his genitals.
Dr Plimmer later sent her photos of his head in a noose with messages saying he ‘couldn’t carry on’.
He doctor told the hearing earlier this week he has been ‘recovering’ with the support of his long-term partner, taking medication and attending Sex Addicts Anonymous.
Dr Plimmer insisted he had never crossed any boundaries with patients and likened himself to tragic Friends actor Matthew Perry.
He said: ‘Matthew Perry was a drug addict but he would never take heroin. Why take all the drugs but not taken heroin?’
Dr Plimmer said he knew sleeping with his patients would be ‘terminal’ to his career.
Mark Monaghan, GMC, accepted the doctor does not pose any risk to patients but added: ‘Our concerns are primarily with confidence in the profession.’
Tom Day, representing Dr Plimmer, told the hearing: ‘I respectfully submit he poses no risk to pateients and there is no impairment on that basis. The risk of relapse is low.
‘If he were to work he would need conditions to support him.’
Panel chair Claire Lindley ruled that Dr Plimmer’s fitness to practise is currently impaired impaired by reason of misconduct.
They have yet to make a decision as to which sanctions to impose on Plimmer.
Between May 2018 and September 2019, he would approach her during lunch breaks and stand in the doorway, making it difficult to leave.
He would also enter the room with his trousers undone.
In September 2019, he was said to have threatened to tell her husband of their affair.
He suggested she kill herself by saying: ‘On Futurama they have suicide booths. Maybe that’s what you need, you should go and do that.’
Dr Plimmer agreed he sent the woman explicit videos and engaging in sexual behaviour, but claimed it was ‘always consensual’.
He had faced 16 allegations relating to the colleague including trying to to kiss her without consent, approaching her with his trousers undone and showing her a video of him having sex with another woman, while at work.
He denied two allegations he penetrated the same colleague without consent, that he took his genitals out in front of her, that he slammed a door and hit her arm and threatened to disclose information to her husband.
Those charges were found not proven.
Dr Plimmer had also engaged in sexual activity during the working hours of his surgery with Miss B in January 2020 and Miss C in May 2020.
He had admitted sending unsolicited pictures of his penis, taken whilst at work, to another woman known as Miss E.
It also withdrew 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 panel also found his actions were sexually motivated.
Plimmer will face sanction on a date to be fixed.
