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| - A Belgian court Thursday on jailed a gynaecologist for four years for the 2016 rape of a patient during a medical examination. A copy of the judgement, seen by AFP, said the defendant had committed "very serious" offences, meriting the toughest sanction available. The court had heard that on 7 November 2016, a 30-year-old woman had visited the doctor for a consultation ahead of an operation on an ovarian cysts. The doctor initially conducted a standard vaginal examination wearing a glove, then removed it and continued while stroking and licking her breast. Initially in shock, the patient did not make a criminal complaint, but returned to the surgery a week later with witnesses to demand an explanation. According to news agency Belga, the doctor begged forgiveness, in comments that were recorded. When he became the subject of a criminal inquiry, however, he insisted upon his innocence and attempted to discredit the victim, branding her a drug addict. He pleaded not guilty but his attitude counted against him at trial, and he was severely criticised in the judgement for his lack of empathy and remorse. mad/dc/del/kjl
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