Junior doctor Benjamin Brooks, pictured, was jailed after he was caught living a double life as a seaside prowler that molested teenage girls
A junior doctor who led a secret double life as a night time prowler that molested girls as young as ten has been struck off following a disciplinary hearing he tried to keep secret.
Dr Benjamin Brooks, 28, randomly targeted six girls in the street aged between ten and 14 over a 17 day period while claiming he was ‘battling in his head’ whether to attack them or not.
He was arrested after one of the girls he assaulted called to a passerby for help and they recognised Brooks as a work colleague at Blackpool Victoria Hospital in Lancashire.
Brooks, who worked as phlebotomist, had viewed child sex abuse material while studying for his medical degree at university.
The junior doctor claimed he was under ‘extreme stress’ and working long hours in his role.
Last April Brooks, who is from Lytham, St Annes, was jailed for 28 months which was later reduced to 22 months on appeal after he admitted sexual assault and witness intimidation involving four of the girls.
But this week, after being freed early on licence, he fought a legal battle against the General Medical Council saying he ‘deserved’ to be allowed to continue practising medicine because his ‘heart was in the right place.’
Brooks argued society had a ‘lack of understanding’ about sexual offending and claimed there was a ‘certain amount of stigma’ levelled at offenders.
He added that there was no evidence of ‘long term psychological damage’ to his victims.
He claimed he was classed as one of the ‘top five doctors’ at his medical school at Southampton, had ‘exceptional academic ability’ and said publicity about his case would have ‘an adverse effect on his future prospects.’
One of his victims is now so nervous she is too scared to go out or have a bath on her own.
Another became upset at school as a teacher bore a resemblance to Brooks. A third girl was nervous about meeting her own friends and said she was shocked when she found out Brooks was a doctor saying: ‘How can I trust anyone?’
The fourth girl now suffers from nightmares and is wary of strangers.
At the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service in Manchester, a panel threw out Brooks plea to have the entire hearing dealt with in private and banned him from working in medicine.
The disgraced doctor attended the hearing with his mother but left soon after learning he was going to be erased from the medical register.
The disgraced junior doctor has now been struck off after battling against the General Medical Council and saying he ‘deserved’ to be allowed to practice medicine
The offences occurred from November 10 to 27 2016.
Brooks went out when it was dark to terrorise girls playing in the street between 7pm and 8.15pm.
Two girls aged 10 and 12 were standing on a street corner when Brooks asked their names and invited them to walk up the street with him before grabbing at the clothing of the younger girl and attempting to expose himself.
He fled when the girls ran away in tears to a nearby shop to call for help.
Later two other girls, both aged 14 were stood near a bus stop when Brooks asked them which bus he could catch before suggesting they walk with him.
The girls tried to walk away but Brooks followed them, smacking one of then on the bottom over her clothing. He ran off but targeted two more girls just 15 minutes later while asking for directions.
Before the girls managed to escape, he put his hands down the bra of one, who was just 13, and said: ‘You’ve got nice boobs.’
Chairman Richard Kember said: ‘There is a real risk of repetition of your offences. You have taken few steps toward remediation, and have a very concerning lack of insight, particularly into the impact of your offences on the victims.
‘The Tribunal has also found it concerning that you accept in your evidence having viewed child sex abuse material on one occasion whilst at university, and this past behaviour may indicate an increased risk of repetition of your offending.
‘While it accepts your evidence that you were under some stress at the time of the offences, this evidence may suggest that you have a more ingrained propensity to commit offences of this nature than you accept. Your conviction, and the behaviour which led to it, undermines the unique position of trust that you occupy as a medical practitioner, and – through your actions – you abused that trust.’
Brooks was arrested but when he was freed on bail one of the victims saw him by chance in the street and she ran home as the doctor stood at her garden gate calling her by her name.
Brooks is thought to have been freed on licence earlier this year and is currently banned from working with children under 16 under the terms of a ten year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
But he told the tribunal: ‘I have to think about the impact on my future employment prospects. If I don’t return to employment and give myself the chance to rebuild my life I will be unable to form future relationships, there would be a possibility of detriment to my relationships which could impact on my physical and mental health.
‘I want to give myself the chance to rebuild my life. I could face the facts that if I am not practicing that I will have more chance of re-offending.
‘I have taken steps off my own volition to understand my behaviour at the time. I have brought some references in from a number of people and they have explained that I am an exemplary student. One reference said I was in the top five doctors he had taught. My skills have helped many many people and I have so much more to give. I have a passion for medicine and I want to continue with it.’
He added: ‘I am one of the most capable doctors for my age. A breakdown in my mental health had led to my offending. Why would I just go and slip up? I have had many academic achievements. I was a medical student for four years and have been a doctor for a year and a half. I have written 20 abstracts and 5 public journals. I have also contributed to many audits.
‘I want to help with the intensive care units and feel I can contribute. Removing my registration will stop me from achieving this. I can contribute so much more than I have already done – even if I don’t work for the NHS.’
But for the General Medical Counsel, Paul Raudnitz, said: ‘This was a very serious criminal conduct and it was more than a one off – this was repeated.. The witnesses were very vulnerable young girls and there is a substantial risk of harm. His sentence was less than 13 months and he will be registered as a sex offender.
‘In a pre-sentence report, the writer explained if he had not been caught, he would have continued to offend. He told them he was ‘battling with his head’. He will pose a risk of harm to any victim. The doctor has no evidence to prove he has any understanding of what those girls are going through.’