A SENIOR staff nurse yesterday described her shock as she watched an anaesthetist sexually assault unconscious women patients twice on the same day.

In the first case, he massaged a young woman and then later put his hand down the front of another woman's robe, the General Medical Council (GMC) was told.

The staff nurse, now a theatre sister and named only as Miss H, was giving evidence before the GMC's professional conduct committee, where Dr Chandra Ganatra has denied a series of allegations which, if proved, could lead to him being struck off the medical register.

Dr Ganatra, in his 50s and registered at Dryburn Road, Durham, denied indecent and inappropriate conduct involving several patients at the Dryburn and Shotley Bridge hospitals, in County Durham.

In the first incident, Miss H said that Dr Ganatra stopped massaging the woman patient as soon as he saw he had been spotted.

Later that day, June 29, 1999, another staff nurse at the Shotley Bridge Hospital was undergoing surgery for the insertion of a contraceptive coil.

The patient made it clear she did not want Dr Ganatra to be involved in her treatment and told Miss H to ensure the anaesthetist was kept away from her as far as was possible.

But in the operating theatre Miss H saw the anaesthetist with his hand down the front of the patient's gown.

She reported the incidents to her superiors. Shortly after, Dr Ganatra was suspended from duty, but after an internal inquiry he was back at work in October 19.

Earlier in the hearing, the committee was told that police investigated allegations of indecent assault made against Dr Ganatra, but no charges were brought.

The hearing continues.