GP would have been questioned over sex abuse claims if still alive
A GP would have been spoken to under police caution over sexual abuse claims if he were still alive today, detectives have concluded.
An investigation by West Mercia Police into 26 allegations of non-recent sexual abuse made against Whitchurch GP Dr Gerard Rogerson has now concluded.
Dr Rogerson worked at a GP surgery in Whitchurch before his death in 2000 and also lived in the town.
The claims made against him date back to between the 1950s and 1980s.
Superintendent Paul Moxley said the former GP would have been spoken to if he was still alive but added that was not an indication of guilt.
He said: “Following the investigation and taking into account all of the information available, it has been established if the deceased man was alive today he would have been spoken to under caution by police as part of the investigation process.
“This would have been in order to outline the detail of the allegations made and provide him with an opportunity to offer an account following the reports.
“It is important to remember that our proposed action would not in any way have been an indication of guilt, but would simply have been part of the investigation process in order to obtain an account, irrespective of whether or not this would have led to further action.”
Last year Hudgell Solicitors started providing legal advice to a number of people, both men and women, who each named the former doctor when making allegations of historical sex abuse at his former surgery in the town.
The men and women claim they were abused in the 1970s when they were all children, lawyers said.
Supt Moxley said the priority for the police during the investigation was to support the people came forward to report allegations of abuse.
"Allegations of this nature are always taken extremely seriously," he added.
"The investigation has been thorough and proportionate, given that the suspect is deceased.
"Our priority in this investigation has been to support those people who have come forward to report allegations of abuse and to ensure they are afforded the appropriate support and assistance."
