Thomas Plimmer: 'Sex addict doctor' hearing told of 'perfect victim'

It comes after another day in the Medical Practitioner's Tribunal hearing into Dr Thomas Plimmer, who has been accused of having sex with multiple women at his GP practice, concluded.

The Swindon doctor is facing accusations from at least half a dozen complainants - including one 'vulnerable' colleague who says their weekly sex meetings at the practice in the town, were 'unwanted' and sometimes forced.

Read More: Swindon doctor 'used GP surgery for sex sessions with several women'

Read More: Dr Thomas Plimmer accused of multiple rapes by colleague at tribunal

That colleague, referred to as Ms A to protect her identity, started giving evidence on Wednesday where she revealed the full extent of Dr Plimmer's alleged coercive behaviour towards her and how being the victim of abuse and domestic violence in the past had made her '"the perfect victim".

In her testimony, Ms A revealed that she was "groomed" by the doctor into becoming a "sex object for a sex addict".

She explained that throughout the course of several months, she had "trauma-bonded" with him, and adopted a "fawning response" as he pressured and coerced her into beginning a sexual relationship.

During this relationship, Dr Plimmer is alleged to have sexually assaulted Ms A by placing her hand on his erect penis without her consent. He is also accused of having penetrative sex with her against her will, with Ms A claiming to have told him 'no' on several occasions.

During a lengthy three-day cross-examination, Dr Plimmer's lawyer Tom Day regularly asserted that Ms A was lying, exaggerating and was "'seeing demons that weren't there".

Eventually, Ms A accused Mr Day of "going round and round" by making the same points, leading to her having to give the same answers. 

At one point Mr Day said: "I appreciate these are difficult questions."

To which, Ms A replied: "You don't appreciate it. You're paid to pick out bits and humiliate me. He [Dr Plimmer] spent a long time humiliating me and now you're paid to do it a little bit more in front of everyone, and the press who are giving a minute-by-minute update of my humiliation."

As Ms A became visibly more distressed by the ordeal, the chair of the tribunal Claire Lindley, and Mr Mark Monaghan, representing the General Medical Council, along with Mr Day, then agreed that he could condense his line of questioning to speed things up. 

Other points in the day's hearing involved whether or not Ms A had an opportunity to confront Dr Plimmer over what he had done during a message exchange.

"You can see I'm trying to downplay even when I'm saying things, there are smiley face emojis, there are lols," she said. 

"There is no woman who here thinks that this is a time and a place and a way that they can address rape, so saying you should've said here... I should've done a lot of things, I've tried really hard to say why I couldn't do those things, but I think you've completely minimised the impact.

"I've told you I couldn't say the word rape for a long time and you're like 'Why don't you just send it in a message'."

The hearing also heard how Dr Plimmer had threatened to tell Ms A's husband about their relationship, which left her in "abject fear," and also how he had slammed a door on her, shoulder barged her and encouraged her to take her own life. 

The tribunal remains ongoing as five other women are set to give evidence against Dr Plimmer's conduct. 

Hearing recaps

Thursday, September 14

Friday, September 15

If you have been, or are currently, the victim of domestic abuse or coercive control and need support please contact Swindon Women's Aid for help on 01793 610 610. In an emergency dial 999.