The accusation a family doctor molested a female patient’s vagina during an examination is “crucifyingly unlikely”, a court heard today.

Adel Elalfy, a GP with 20 years experience, is accused of sexually assaulting a disabled woman when she visited a surgery in Bingfield Street, Islington – rubbing the clitoris and inserting a finger inside the lip of her vagina.

The victim, who was suffering from a suspected urinary tract infection, claims Elalfy – a visiting locum doctor from Stafford – twice groped her before asking a series of personal questions and sending her home untreated.

But James Leonard, defending, told Blackfriars Crown Court the whole situation could be a “ghastly misunderstanding”.

He said: “What is being alleged here is hopelessly people out of character. There is no reason to suspect there is a bone in his body capable of what is being suggested here.

“Why is it that a 48-year-old, outstanding, patient focussed doctor – a professional family man – should suddenly decide to take it upon himself to obtain sexual gratification by intimately assaulting someone with this disease, who is apparently suffering from a urinary tract infection (UIT)?

“By shoving his hand not once, but twice inside her knickers and managing to find her clitoris for the purpose of achieving sexual contact?

“Why not do an vaginal examination if that’s what he wanted to achieve?

“It is crucifyingly unlikely this happened at all.”

The victim suffers from a long-term degenerative brain disease and walks with a crutch– a condition Mr Leonard claims could have a bearing on the trial because it had resulted in numbness below the waist in the past.

He said: “[The victim] has a history of altered sensation in what is generally referred to as the saddle area, the vagina and anus.”

The allegation Elalfy assaulted her on two separate occasions lacked credibility, he said.

He said: “Once is absurd, twice is a suicide mission that defies all commons sense.

“Does he strike you as that kind of risk taker?

“Can we be sure this wasn’t the result of some ghastly misunderstanding?”

Elalfy, of Baswich Lane, Stafford, denies all charges.

The trial continues.