“IN my mind, I was thinking this is what doctors do,” said a boy who was allegedly abused by a West Berkshire GP, a jury has heard.

Dr Robin Borthwick, 79, of Southend Road, Bradfield, has been charged with committing five counts of indecent assault on an eight-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

The historic sexual offences are alleged to have been committed during the 1970s and 1980s at three locations; two in private properties in West Berkshire and also the GP surgery, Calcot Surgery.

READ MORE: Boy reportedly abused by GP was 'mortified' and 'embarrassed'

A trial of facts has started at Reading Crown Court on Thursday (October 19) as Dr Borthwick has been declared unfit to stand trial.

What is a trial of facts? What does it mean? Read more here.

Giving evidence from the witness stand, the boy alleged that Dr Borthwick, who was a ‘family friend’ and ‘respected member of the community’, had come into his bedroom and told him to take his pyjamas off.

He said: “I remember thinking perhaps he was coming to read me a bedtime story but what he actually said was, ‘Lets take a look at you then’.

“He then told me to pull down my pyjama bottoms…he said he needed to have a look at me. In my mind, I thought he needed to examine me.

“In my mind, I was thinking this is what doctors do.”

READ MORE: Trial of GP charged with sexual abuse of boy, 8, delayed

He explained to the jury that Dr Borthwick reportedly touched his genitals, buttocks and legs and was ‘breathing heavily’ at the time.

“I remember his aftershave,” he said. “I remember that smell. I remember his hairy arms and I remember being terrified.

“He finished what he was doing and told me to get into bed and walked out of the room. I was left wondering what had happened, I was terrified, I wanted to tell [someone] but I somehow knew that I couldn’t.

“I somehow knew what had happened wasn’t right. I clutched my teddy bear, named Bungo after The Wombles, and I cried myself to sleep.

“It was an intensely terrifying thing that happened when he was alone with me.”

This incident was alleged to have occurred several times at a private property. It is also alleged Dr Borthwick did a similar act at the Calcot Surgery out-of-hours.

There was a further alleged incident at a second private property when the boy was slightly older which he remembers as being the last alleged offence.

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Dr Borthwick is not required to be present throughout the proceedings, which are expected to conclude this week.

The trial of facts continues.