A WELL KNOWN Bolton GP who subjected a young girl to years of horrific abuse has been jailed for 18 years.

Stephen Hamilton, formerly a GP at Heaton Medical Centre, was convicted for a catalogue of crimes, which occurred when the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was aged between 10 and 12.

Hamilton was pale and shook his head as Judge Richard Mansell, QC, told him his “qualifications” were the “cloak” under which he hid the “very dark side of his character”.

The jury of six men and six women heard the family doctor would physically fight with the girl then rape her to exert his control.

Hamilton, aged 47, of Gaskell Road, Altrincham, gave the girl antidepressants — despite one of the drugs being unlicensed for children.

Manchester Crown Court yesterday heard that Hamilton had tearfully told medical professionals the girl had accused him of sexually abusing her — in a deliberate attempt to undermine any disclosure she would later make.

Hamilton was found to have raped the girl numerous times and had also smacked her, restrained her and, on occasion, put his hands around her neck.

He was said to be manipulative, calling the girl a filthy pig, and blamed her for the abuse.

Judge Mansell said: “I have no doubt that you are and have been a very good GP who has dedicated himself to his work and cared for patients.

However, your titles, your qualifications, your intelligence and your gentle manner with patients have all provided you with a dark cloak, behind which you have hidden a very dark side to your character.

“This side of your character has been well and truly exposed in the course of the trial by prosecution evidence and more over by your own evidence and conduct.

“You have revealed the following character traits — arrogance, manipulation, bullying and dishonesty.”

The judge said the jury had seen through his “tissue of lies” and questioned whether Hamilton’s tears throughout the trial had been genuine.

Judge Mansell praised the victim for finding the strength to give evidence.

He said: “Your victim is a quite remarkable young lady — highly intelligent, gifted in many fields but most of all, of the highest moral fibre — this young lady is in my judgement incapable of telling lies or doing a bad deed to anyone.”

He said the teenager may never attain the heights she could have reached before the abuse but added she had made progress since the crimes came to light.

She was said by the judge to be a very different person, who was “happy” and with the brightest of futures, before she was abused.

During the trial the girl told the jury she had contemplated suicide after giving evidence because she was so upset that someone would think she was a liar.

Tania Griffiths QC, defending, said: “He is of good character and he is a man whose life is now in tatters.”

Hamilton was found guilty of four counts of child cruelty, six counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault.

The judge directed the jury to find Hamilton not guilty of administering a noxious substance because there was no evidence that the drugs had harmed the victim.

Hamilton was sentenced to five years for child cruelty, 12 years for sexual assault and 18 years for the rape offences. All sentences will run concurrently.

He was ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register for life. Hamilton is expected to be struck of by the General Medical Council.