Physio 'bit client and growled', tribunal hears
A physiotherapist in England bit a client’s shoulder while she was lying on his table and growled “like a baby lion” to “satisfy his sexual urge”, a tribunal has heard.
Christopher Lewis allegedly carried out the act after pressing his body against the woman and squashing her breasts as he provided therapy on her fractured shoulder, the British Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) panel heard.
Sophie Lister, representing the HCPC, said Lewis had spoken to his client about how physical injuries can affect sexual relationships during the session at Verulam clinic in St Albans, Hertfordshire, on May 13 last year.
“Towards the end of the conversation Mr Lewis started to work her right shoulder and slowly leaned across and squashed her breasts, still keeping eye contact and bit the skin of her left shoulder playfully,” Ms Lister told the hearing in central London.
“It made her feel uncomfortable, vulnerable and shocked.”
Giving evidence, the woman, who cannot be named, said she thought Lewis made a noise as he bit her.
“It was a bit of a growl,” she said. “It wasn’t a lion growl. Like a baby lion growl.”
“There was no way this was a peck or a kiss,” she added.
“He had my skin in his teeth and shook his head in a similar way to a cat does when he does a bite.”
Following the session, she cancelled a future appointment after emailing Lewis to say his alleged behaviour had “blurred the lines”, Ms Lister said.
The physio sent a reply in which he said he realised he made a mistake and had not acted “appropriately”, the lawyer said.
He later telephoned the woman to apologise, she added.
Ms Lister went on: “We say Mr Lewis’s actions were motivated and done for his sexual gratitude, to satisfy his sexual urge and impulse. Not withstanding what he will say, there is no other feasible explanation for his actions.”
She added: “We say the intention was for his sexual gratification and no other reason.”
Lewis, who is facing a conduct and competence committee, denies biting the woman or that his actions were sexually motivated but admits squashing her breasts with his torso “in the context of a hug”, his lawyer Nicholas Toms said.
The hearing is expected to last until Friday.
