A doctor has been acquitted of sexually assaulting two female patients during medical consultations. The man (37) was alleged to have touched the women's breasts while examining their chests with a stethoscope.

He had pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two charges of sexual assault at a GP clinic in Dublin on February 19th and 20th in 2013.

The doctor had travelled from his Waterford home to work as a locum for two days with the Dublin clinic.

The younger of the alleged victims is taking a civil case regarding the allegations, while the older woman has made a complaint to the Medical Council.

A jury of five women and seven men deliberated for just over six hours before returning a unanimous verdict. Judge Catherine Murphy thanked the jurors for their service and said she will hear an application for his costs at a later date.

During the four day trial, the two women said they had felt very uncomfortable at a number of points during their medical examinations before the alleged sexual assault.

The first woman (23) said that the doctor had unbuttoned two buttons of her shirt after she had unbuttoned the top two ones and that this left her chest and stomach fully exposed.

She said the doctor pulled her bra to one side, exposing her breast. She said that while holding the stethoscope in the palm of his hand he repeatedly brushed her nipple.

She testified that she was telling herself at the time to calm down and not to get "so upset".

'I would have treated my own mother the same way'

The second woman (50) told the trial that she went to the clinic the following day with respiratory problems.

She said that while the doctor was using the stethoscope on the right hand side of her chest she felt a soft and repetitive movement over the nipple area of her left breast.
She believed he was stimulating this area from over her clothing with his left hand and said she could not believe what was happening.

She said she reached down and found his free hand on her breast. She jumped up off the couch and shouted "Get off me, don't touch me". She said she felt disgusted and violated and left the room in tears. In the waiting area she shouted that he had touched her sexually.

The accused followed her out of the surgery and denied that he had done anything wrong. He told her she was making serious allegations and advised her to make a formal complaint.

The accused told gardaí that he categorically denied sexually assaulting either patient, saying "I would have treated my own mother, wife, sister in the same way".

He said he has never had any allegations made against him before, adding "I would find it very upsetting to have one but to have two in two days, I don't know what to say".

After being told he was free to go, the doctor stepped out of the dock and hugged his wife and family members who were sitting in the public gallery.