THE victim of a GP who has been found to have committed sexual assaults against a young boy said he doesn’t care he has walked free as it is ‘about the truth’.

Dr Robin Borthwick, 78, of Southend Road, Bradfield, has been found to have committing five counts of indecent assault on an eight-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, by a jury.

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

Read the opening from trial here

However, Borthwick did not face a criminal trial due to being medical unfit so a trial of facts took place at Reading Crown Court.

A defendant cannot be convicted as a result meaning Borthwick has walked free with an absolute discharge – a criminal record but no further action.

What is a trial of facts? Why was he released?

Speaking to the Reading Chronicle, the victim said he feels ‘relief and vindication’ despite the lack of prison sentence as it’s ‘about the truth’.

“It’s a feeling of relief and vindication that the truth is finally out there,” he said. “He saw himself as a pillar of the community, a church-goer, a friendly face, the local GP, all the while he was a predatory paedophile is hiding a dark secret.

“He confided in someone that he thought I liked it and I’m sure other members of the community, patients and parents who kids were patients and were examined by him, – sometimes intimately – will be shocked that was what was going through his mind.

“What will those parents be thinking now, what will all those children be thinking? For me, it’s still about the truth coming out and with the facts proven, he’s still technically found guilty – whether you go to prison or not – it’s still about the truth.”

The victim first reported the incidents to police in 2021, explaining he no longer wanted to live life with ‘this secret’.

“Like many other victims of child abuse, I locked it away in a box,” he said. “I hid it in a box and didn’t think about it.

“But as I got older I was able to process it a lot better as an adult, those feelings. I started to talk about the experiences more and I found it was helpful and the I made the decision to actually go to the police to report it.

“I didn’t want to live my life with this secret, I wanted the truth to be out. My initial motivation was just to break to silence but also by doing that I hope it may help other victims of child abuse come forward too.”

The victim now helps that others will feel encouraged to speak to someone, regardless of when the incidents took place.

Read evidence from the victim at trial.

He said: “It’s never too late to come forward to speak to someone, anyone, it might not be police it could be a family member or friend.

“Just know it’s important to break that cycle of abuse, to come forward and to talk. Abusers rely on the silence of their victims.”

The victim also praised Thames Valley Police for their work, stating he felt ‘supported and well-informed’ throughout the investigation.

He added: “I’d like that message to go out there as well that if you come forward, you’ll be treated well.