Chiropractor struck off.

A CHIROPRACTOR whose behaviour towards female patients – including pulling their knickers down without consent and massaging their buttocks – was said to be ‘sexually motivated’ has been struck off.

Peter McCann, of Beneficial Chiropractic Clinic, Darlington, was found to have 'deliberately exploited' the trust of his patients.

A number of allegations against him were upheld by the General Chiropractic Council's (GCC) professional conduct committee which found Mr McCann guilty of unacceptable professional conduct towards several patients aged between 34 and 67 at the time of treatment between January 2011 and September 2014.

On one occasion, Mr McCann became sexually aroused while treating one of his patients and touched another patient's buttocks, after treatment had finished.

The committee found Mr McCann's behaviour included pulling patients' knickers down without warning or consent. In one case, he massaged a patient's buttocks, which the committee found to be sexually-motivated, albeit clinically justified.

Mr McCann was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault in February 2013, after one patient complained to police.

An allegation that Mr McCann had patted and cupped the buttocks of one patient after concluding her treatment was also found proved.

On a separate occasion, with another patient, he became visibly aroused during the appointment.

The committee considered that this behaviour demonstrated a deep-seated, harmful problem of attitude in which Mr McCann sought sexual gratification from his patients under the veil of legitimacy of carrying out clinically-justified treatment.

The committee report concluded: "Mr McCann deliberately exploited the trust that his patients had in him and his behaviour was a grave abuse of that trust. Any sanction less than removal from the register would leave patients at risk."