A DOCTOR accused of groping female patients told a court any touching of their breasts would have been, “entirely unintentional”.

Dr Unt Tun Maung was carrying out chest examination of the two teenager patients when the incidents are said to have taken place during separate GP surgery consultations in Teesside and County Durham, in July 2012 and September the following year.

The locum GP, who had never previously treated either patient, said he felt such examinations were necessary given the conditions they complained of, on attending routine surgery sessions.

He denied a prosecution claim that he asked one of the patients to remove her bra before conducting her examination.

Dr Maung also told the court that, at the time, he felt it unnecessary to have a chaperone present when he carried out the first examination.

Despite subsequently pledging to always have a chaperone present in such circumstances, given the allegation that had arisen, he said the mother of the second patient was in an adjoining consulting room when he conducted her daughter’s examination.

When the allegations of indecent touching were put to him, by prosecution counsel Peter Makepeace, Dr Maung denied having any sexual motive.

Defence barrister Andrew Hurst asked the defendant: “What might the circumstances have been if you did touch their breasts?”

Dr Maung answered that it would have been, “entirely unintentional.”

Forensic medical examiner Dr Stephen Hicks, called by the defence to give evidence, said examinations conducted in the manner described by Dr Maung would have been “appropriate” in the circumstances.

But, asked by Mr Makepeace if the examinations were conducted in the way the alleged victims described, Dr Hicks agreed they would have been “inappropriate”.

Dr Maung, 43, of Chester-le-Street, denies two counts of sexual assault.

The jury is expected to retire to consider its verdicts when the case resumes on Monday (March 9).