A DOCTOR has been cleared of sexually assaulting a patient by a jury.

Dr Molefi Nteta had faced three counts of sexual assault, having been accused of groping a woman’s breasts and rubbing his genitals on her hand and hip during a routine checkup at Spire Cheshire Hospital in Stretton.

A three-day trial at Chester Crown Court last week heard that the 56-year-old, of Altrincham, ‘breached all of his medical ethics for a quick thrill’ during the incident in August 2016.

But a statement that Dr Nteta gave to police at the time of the allegation, which was read out in court, stated that he had conducted a ‘completely standard medical examination’ on the complainant and had acted in a ‘normal and professional manner’.

And a jury cleared the South Africa-born doctor of all charges on Wednesday, June 13.

The court heard that Spire Cheshire Hospital had launched an investigation ‘immediately’ after receiving a complaint against Dr Nteta.

Hospital director Andrew Johnson said: “At Spire Cheshire Hospital, our top priority is the welfare and safety of our patients and staff.

“We take this responsibility very seriously and set extremely high and robust standards across every aspect of our business – we act quickly if we suspect these standards have not been met.”