Doctor put semen in coffee to trick woman into drinking it
A doctor from Taunton has been found guilty of a sexual offence after he deposited his own semen into a woman's coffee.
Dr Nicholas Chapman, 55, from Somerset, was accused of putting the bodily fluid into his victim's hot drinks, tricking her into ingesting them on a number of occasions.
After becoming suspicious of Chapman, the woman kept a sample of one drink he made.
She reported the incidents to the police in September 2021 and, when tested, the sample was confirmed to contain semen with a DNA match to the doctor.
Chapman denied putting the semen into the coffee. In his defence, the court was told that he had a medical condition which caused him to ejaculate while going to the toilet. The jury also heard that Chapman might not have washed his hands afterwards, or before making the drinks.
A jury convicted Chapman of one count of attempting to engage in sexual activity without consent. He was acquitted of a second similar charge. Chapman was bailed ahead of his sentencing hearing on Thursday 6 July.
The woman, who must remain anonymous for legal reasons, told the court in a victim impact statement that: “I feel betrayed by him, by his actions. He has made me feel powerless.
"The devious and cowardly nature has shocked me. If this was a physical attack I may have at least had a chance to defend myself. I’ve had to be open about this to my partner and family, but I often feel alone and that no one quite understands.
"I hope in the future I am able to put this all behind me and move on with my life. Though I have to accept that the mental and emotional trauma I have suffered throughout this will always remain with me in some way."
DS Rachel Walls, who was part of the investigation team, said: "I wish to praise the complainant in this case. She was very brave to report this to the police and enable us to carry out a thorough investigation. It has been long process and her victim personal statement goes some way to showing the effect of Dr Chapman’s crime."