A WORLD-RENOWNED Wordsley plastic surgeon has spoken of his "delight and relief" at being cleared of carrying out a string of sex attacks on young patients.

It had been alleged that Aivar Bracka - a man whose surgical skills have improved the lives of hundreds of patients - had been unable to "resist temptation" while treating five young men who were mainly in their teens.

But, in evidence, the surgeon - described as a pioneer in the field of surgery to correct deformities to male genitalia - maintained everything he had done was part and parcel of necessary treatment.

And the 11-strong jury - reduced in the ranks by illness - found him not guilty on six charges of indecent assault after retiring for nearly nine hours to consider the evidence at the end of his trial.

Afterwards Bracka, who is based at Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley, said through his solicitor he was "delighted and relieved" at the verdicts returned by the seven women and four men on the jury.

Ian Sadler, his solicitor instructed by the Medical Protection Society, added: "It has been a very distressing time for Mr Bracka and he is now looking forward to putting this matter behind him.

“He is also looking forward to continuing to provide a very high standard of care to his patients. He wants to thank all those who have supported him through this difficult time and that includes the court hearing."

The prosecution alleged Bracka, described as an "extremely talented" surgeon and a world leader in his field, had gone beyond the bounds of anything that could be called a legitimate medical examination for his own "sexual gratification”.

But Bracka, who was based at Wordsley Hospital before transfering to Russells Hall, agreed he had carried out intimate examinations of patients.

But he stressed they were a part of the treatment needed by the patients while hundreds of slides showing male genitalia recovered from his home in Balmoral Road, Wordsley, were to help document all his patients on a "before and after" basis.

He said he had always asked permission to take the photographs and totally denied having any of them because they were "erotic."