Doctor cleared of sexually harassing students

A senior doctor has been cleared by a tribunal of sexually harassing four medical students.

A Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) panel found that physical contact by Dr Adam Chesters was not meant in a sexual way, but that he had committed misconduct.

Chesters was handed a warning over the incidents, which took place during education sessions in Cambridge and Edinburgh.

The doctor had been a consultant in emergency medicine and pre-hospital emergency medicine at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust until June.

He was acting as an examiner or supervisor during examination and demonstration sessions involving three of the women, referred to as Ms A, Ms B and Ms C, in Edinburgh between June 2022 and January 2024.

Other allegations, from a fourth woman referred to as Ms D, arose from a lecture forum at Cambridge University's Robinson College in March 2024.

The tribunal found that he touched Ms A's hip and groin area and stood close to her while demonstrating a physical examination.

He also asked Ms B if she wanted to meet to practise for an examination and held her waist to reposition her during the exam.

Chesters made comments to Ms C about toilet breaks, nappies and drinking water, walked her back against a wall during a demonstration, and joked that students would have clothes on "unless they want to go naked".

He also positioned a chair so his legs touched those of Ms D, and he also moved her by placing his hands on her waist and shoulders, touching her T-shirt or uniform lapels.

At a later event, he moved her by the waist and instructed her to "pout", or used words to that effect.

An allegation by Ms D that he put his hand under her jumper and touched her was found by the panel to have been "not proven".

But the panel concluded: "Dr Chesters's feeling that he could manhandle Ms D to any position that he wanted was an abuse of his more senior position."

The panel also found that the request to meet Ms B was in order to prepare for an important professional exam.

The tribunal also ruled that it was "not necessary to touch Ms B and there were other ways of directing her to move".

The overall conclusion was that while the conduct represented "a clear and specific departure from the professional standards expected of a doctor" the allegations of sexual harassment and sexual motivation "were not proved".

The panel found that Chesters's fitness to practise was not impaired by reason of misconduct.

Chesters worked with the Prince of Wales when he flew a helicopter for East Anglian Air Ambulance between July 2015 and July 2017.

He was also photographed with Prince William during the latter's final shift.

Do you have a story suggestion for Cambridgeshire? Contact us below.

Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.