A family GP accused of taking advantage of a troubled pregnant teenager and raping her has been cleared.

Dr Iftikhar Ali, 75, denied claims he sexually assaulted a patient who came to see him about an abortion more than 25 years ago.

Following a trial at Maidstone Crown Court, the doctor, who worked at New Road in Chatham was found not guilty of any sex attacks.

Ali was charged with rape, attempted rape, and indecent assault dating back to the 1990s but always denied the claims saying any interaction was consensual.

Previously, prosecutor Ben Irwin told the court that in the 1990s Ali was the only GP at the practice and the woman was in her late teens at the time.

Mr Irwin said that in 1998 the alleged victim became pregnant and arranged to see the defendant with a view to having a termination.

He said: “The prosecution case is when she went to see her GP, he took full advantage of his position of trust and the power he held over her by raping her on several occasions.”

The jury heard how in 2019, Ali, of The Downs, Chatham, was convicted of an unrelated sexual assault when he stroked a woman’s thigh, sniffed her hair and repeatedly tried to kiss her on the lips as they discussed her personal life.

For the current trial, Mr Irwin said over the years the woman confided in friends and professionals but didn’t tell the police.

Eventually, when the police did get involved, the GP was questioned and denied ever engaging in sexual activity with the woman.

The jury heard how the teenager became pregnant following sexual abuse and was “terrified” and “vulnerable”.

Ali told her he would attempt to carry out the termination himself and asked her to attend the surgery after hours.

However, following a deliberation from the jury he was found not guilty and cleared of the charges.