A former doctor has been charged with a series of sexual offences against 38 patients, including young children, following a major police investigation at two NHS hospitals.
Charges Span Multiple Years and Hospitals
Nathaniel Spencer, from Birmingham, is accused of 45 sexual offences alleged to have taken place between 2017 and 2021. The charges relate to his time working at the Royal Stoke University Hospital in Stoke-on-Trent and Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) authorised the charges after a lengthy review of evidence gathered by Staffordshire Police. The force described its inquiry as a "complex investigation" into alleged sexual offences at the two hospital sites.
Breakdown of the 45 Charges
The specific charges faced by Spencer include a range of serious sexual crimes. Prosecutors have detailed the following counts:
- 15 counts of sexual assault
- 17 counts of assault by penetration
- 9 counts of sexual assault of a child under 13
- 3 counts of assault of a child under 13 by penetration
- 1 count of attempting to assault by penetration
This means that 12 of the charges relate specifically to alleged offences against children younger than 13.
Legal Proceedings and Public Appeal
Ben Samples, a deputy chief prosecutor for the CPS, stated: "Our prosecutors have worked at length to support a detailed and complex investigation by Staffordshire police, carefully reviewing the available evidence to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring the case to trial and that it is in the public interest to pursue criminal proceedings."
Spencer is scheduled to appear at the North Staffordshire Justice Centre on 20 January to face the charges. Staffordshire Police have issued an appeal, asking anyone with concerns or further information related to the case to contact them directly.
The case has sent shockwaves through the NHS trusts involved and highlights ongoing scrutiny of patient safety and safeguarding procedures within healthcare settings.
