Jury in Indian-origin doctor's case in Britain discharged

The jurors in the trial of an Indian-origin doctor in the British city of Leicester, accused of sexually assaulting a male patient in his chamber, were discharged after they failed to reach a verdict.

The jury of seven women and five men, after more than eight hours of deliberations on 52-year-old Bharat Shikotra's sexual assault case since last Monday, sent a note to Judge Michael Pert saying that they have failed to reach a consensus, the Leicester Mercury reported Wednesday.

Shikotra, who has recently retired from practice at Saffron Surgery in the city where he was a partner for 20 years, however, denied the charge of sexually assaulting a male patient on a medical bed Sep 7, 2012.

The case was adjourned for hearing March 19 to set a date for a re-trial in the Leicester Crown Court.

Shikotra, from Elmsleigh Avenue, Leicester, was released on bail.