A DOCTOR accused of making a string of sex attacks on patients has been allowed to return to work at his Dudley surgery.

Dr Jaswant Rathore faces a total of 18 charges of sexual assault, involving ten complainants, alleged to have been committed between September 2013 and May 2015.

The 59-year-old, who has been suspended from treating patients by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service, was remanded on conditional bail after appearing at Wolverhampton Crown Court where Judge Michael Challinor lifted a condition barring him from attending his Dudley surgery during the day.

The judge said Dr Rathore, of Ploughmans Walk, Wall Heath, had to be allowed to continue with administration duties but stressed he must have no contact with patients.

It is expected that the doctor, who was previously a clinical lead on Dudley Clinical Commissioning Group, will enter not guilty pleas to all charges when he returns to court on May 22.

Alan Jenkins, defending, indicated Dr Rathore would be denying everything on the indictment and the case is scheduled to go to trial over nearly three weeks, starting on November 27.

Mr Jenkins said in the meantime the doctor would be attending his place of work during surgery hours but he stressed he would not go near the part of the building used by members of the public.