Derbyshire doctor had sex with patient and paid for her breast implants

Dr Maurice Ripley seduced the woman with gifts of perfume and chocolates when she came to the Creswell Medical Centre.

He even paid for her to have breast implants - but threatened to rip out the implants three years later after the relationship soured.

Ripley sent abusive text messages to his former lover, known as Patient A, when he received a ‘blackmail’ letter demanding £15,000, the Medical Practitioners’ Tribunal Service heard.

A fitness to practise panel in Manchester, chaired by Dr Vicki Harris, found his ‘disgraceful’ misconduct ‘brought the profession into disrepute’ and he now faces being kicked out of the profession.

Dr Harris said: “Not only did Dr Ripley breach the doctor/patient boundaries by his predatory behaviour, but he also breached those boundaries by giving large sums of money to Patient A.”

“Dr Ripley’s conduct was fundamentally wrong and was a flagrant violation of the necessary trust between a doctor and his patient.”

“Not only was the cultivation and pursuit of this sexual relationship improper, but on at least one occasion Dr Ripley had sexual intercourse with Patient A in his consultation room during his clinic.”

“This, in itself, is utterly unacceptable and reprehensible conduct.”

Dr Harris explained that his conduct was aggravated by the sending of inappropriate emails and threatening and abusive text messages when he was drunk and thought he was being blackmailed.

The tribunal ruled his actions amounted to misconduct and found his fitness to practise impaired as a result.

“His conduct not only brought disgrace upon himself, but also prejudiced the reputation of the medical profession. Clearly this is misconduct,” Dr Harris added.

“The panel judged that Dr Ripley presented a risk to patients because he had led a vulnerable patient into an inappropriate emotional and sexual relationship.”

Rosalind Emsley-Smith, for the General Medical Council, called for Ripley to be struck off.

“During at least one review they had sex in the consultation room at the surgery, during surgery hours,” she added.

“The patient had concerns about the relationship and suggested she should get another doctor. He discouraged her, stating it would mean he would never have the opportunity to see her.”

“She ended the relationship in March 2010, but he continued to message her.”

The woman then received a series of emails from Ripley in November 2010, which discussed another ‘tangle’ he had with his professional regulator.

Ripley was banned from working for three months by the GMC in May 2009 when it emerged he had been prescribing himself with addictive drugs for seven years.

The GP wrote out the scripts for powerful painkillers and sedatives in the names of elderly patients at his Nottingham surgery to avoid paying the fees. He admitted taking the drugs after a partner at his Bulwell practice alerted authorities.

Ripley was allowed to return to work in August 2009, but conditions on his practise were not lifted until November 2010.

The hearing continues.