Former patients of GP Gerald Walmsley today spoke of their shock after he was jailed for indecently assaulting women in his surgery.

The 50-year-old doctor was today beginning a three-and-a-half year sentence after he was convicted of ten assaults over 17 years at surgeries in Yeadon and Tunbridge Wells in Kent.

The married GP assaulted three of the women - two of them sisters - while working at Yeadon Health Centre between 1980 and 1986. The rest were assaulted at his Lime Hill Road surgery in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.

Meanwhile, police revealed they had received complaints from about 30 other women who say they have been attacked by the doctor.

Sentencing him, Judge David Griffiths told Dr Walmsley, of Langton Green, Kent: "You have been found guilty of ten counts of indecent assault.

"An indecent assault on a young woman is a serious matter in any case but in your case the victims were all young and vulnerable female patients.

"This involves a grave breach of trust. From the evidence I have heard, you are a man who is of substantial ability and talent and many of your patients have spoken of you in glowing terms but, as one witness said, you crossed the line.

"These are very serious matters indeed. You must be aware a custodial sentence must be imposed."

But some of his former Yeadon patients expressed their "incomprehension" at the convictions, calling him "a perfect gentleman".

Gail Atkinson, landlady of the Crown Inn, Ivegate, said that she and her family had been perfectly happy attending Walmsley's surgeries.

She said: "When we first moved to Yeadon, my daughter scalded herself very badly and Dr Walmsley came to see her every single day - he was marvellous.

"He could be tactile, but in a nice way - he was a very good GP and we used him all the time he was in Yeadon.

"I was very surprised about the whole thing and am sorry that he's been found guilty."

Joan Gardner was also a former patient.

She said: "All my family used him and we never had any complaints. We were very surprised and shocked about the convictions, although I can remember rumours circulating when he was leaving that he'd been having an affair.

"But he was always a perfect gentleman towards me, he seemed very understanding."

Pensioner Fred Parker, 86, saw Walmsley as a friend rather than a doctor.

He said: "I'm very surprised about what's happened - he was a complete gentleman and I couldn't speak too highly of him.

"You didn't go and see a doctor you went to see a friend. I was gobsmacked to hear about the allegations. He was always a very caring person towards me and I never heard anybody say a bad word about him."

Staff at Yeadon Medical Centre, refused to comment.

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