Oxford surgeon sexually harassed staff and made racist remarks

According to the General Medical Council (GMC), James Gilbert is said to have also displayed intimidating behaviour as part of his alleged misconduct.

Chloe Hudson, representing the GMC, said the first complainant, Ms A, had alleged that Mr Gilbert had made a number of sexually motivated comments to her during her time at the Oxford Transplant Centre.

He is said to have once remarked: “You’re a well-dressed girl. You always wear matching underwear, don’t you? What underwear are you wearing now?” and once said: “I enjoyed watching you walking around in your f***-me boots yesterday. You must love the attention you get in that sexy leather jacket.”

In addition, Mr Gilbert is said to have touched her inappropriately on several occasions without her consent, including pressing his body against hers while assisting her during an operation.

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A tribunal was held (archive photo). (Image: Pexels)

Ms Hudson said: “She (Ms A) says she could feel his breath on her neck and he only moved away when she mentioned her partner’s name.”

On another occasion, he is said to have run his finger over her body and left it there for several seconds while she felt “paralysed, powerless, humiliated and angry”.

Ms Hudson said: “This behaviour was clearly unwelcome on the part of Ms A.”

Ms A also described receiving late-night calls from Mr Gilbert outside of her working hours, which she “felt compelled to answer”.

Mrs Hudson said: ‘She was worried he would make her life difficult. He said he had been heavily involved in the national selection process and could influence her career prospects.

“These comments undoubtedly made her think that her own career would suffer if she did not accept what he was doing.”

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Ms Hudson said racist comments were also made to Ms A., including: “You know how Africans clean themselves after going to the toilet, they only use their hands. No wonder they always get infections.”

He is also said to have said to Ms. A. about Africans: “They just want to have fun. They only come out when the sun goes down.”

In a witness statement regarding the latter comment, Ms A said: “I have never heard anything like that in my life. It was just so horrible. I was very upset and left the room.”

Mr Gilbert is alleged to have behaved inappropriately towards another junior colleague, Ms E, by tickling her when she was alone, in a corridor or in the anaesthetic room, and also by grabbing and massaging her shoulders.

Ms Hudson said: “She said she felt like a deer in the headlights and couldn’t move or breathe.”

Touching her knees and thighs under the operating table was a “constant occurrence” for Ms E, she continued, and Mr Gilbert joked about it.

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The surgeon was accused of misconduct. (Image: Pexels)

Apparently, Ms. E. also received calls in the evenings and thought she would be put on a “blacklist” if she did not answer.

“He told her he knew a lot of people who could influence her future career,” Ms Hudson said.

Furthermore, while staring at her breasts, Mr Gilbert is said to have remarked: “I’ve been watching you and you’re quite perfect,” and asked if her underwear was a matching set.

He is said to have made similarly inappropriate remarks to a woman named G. when he asked her whether she was single and “knew what she needed from a man.”

He added: “You looked great in a scrubs and you don’t need to go to the gym. I bet you’re pretty wild on a night out.”

In addition, Mr Gilbert was said to have been sexually motivated when he touched her foot under the operating table, slid his own up the inside of her leg and placed it between her thighs before leaning on her shoulder and whispering something in her ear.

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The court also heard that Mr Gilbert inappropriately touched another colleague, Ms H, by touching her knee from behind and saying: “Your legs are athletic.”

On another occasion, he is said to have approached her in the hallway and put his hand under her jacket and around her waist while saying, “Oh, it’s a bit too tight for both of us, but it feels incredibly good.”

And during a surgical procedure, he is said to have asked Mrs. H.: “Oh, how do you like it best? Do you have it put in or do you do it yourself?”

Another colleague said she was “insulted” when, during an organ donation, Mr Gilbert said of an Asian patient in front of doctors, nurses and operating room staff at another hospital: “Look at all that fat. That’s what happens when you eat a chapati.”

Dr. Gilbert denies wrongdoing on various dates between 2009 and 2022.

The hearing at the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service in Manchester is expected to last four weeks.

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Several colleagues had complained about the surgeon’s behavior (archive photo). (Image: Pexels)