A former doctor is facing a staggering 45 charges relating to alleged sexual offences against 38 different patients, one of whom was a child under the age of 13.
Charges Span Four-Year Period at NHS Hospitals
Nathaniel Spencer, aged 38 and from Birmingham, is accused of carrying out the offences between 2017 and 2021. The alleged crimes took place while he was working at two major NHS hospitals: Royal Stoke University Hospital in Stoke-on-Trent and Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley.
The Crown Prosecution Service has authorised a total of 45 charges against Spencer. The breakdown of the charges is as follows:
- 17 counts of assault by penetration.
- 15 counts of sexual assault.
- 9 counts of sexual assault of a child under 13.
- 3 counts of assault of a child under 13 by penetration.
- 1 count of attempting to assault by penetration.
Complex Police Investigation Leads to Charges
Staffordshire Police conducted a detailed and complex investigation into the allegations, which has now resulted in criminal proceedings. Spencer was arrested and subsequently charged following this probe.
Ben Samples, Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor for the West Midlands CPS, commented on the decision to prosecute. "We have decided to prosecute Nathaniel Spencer for a number of serious sexual offences allegedly carried out against patients while he was working as a doctor," he stated.
"Our prosecutors have worked at length to support the investigation by Staffordshire Police, carefully reviewing the available evidence to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring the case to trial and that it is in the public interest to pursue criminal proceedings," Samples added, specifically highlighting the charges involving a child.
Court Date Set for Next Year
Nathaniel Spencer is scheduled to make his first court appearance at the North Staffordshire Justice Centre on 20 January 2026. The case is expected to be a significant and closely watched legal proceeding given the severity and volume of the charges, which all relate to a profound breach of trust within a medical setting.
The allegations have sent shockwaves through the medical community and raised serious questions about patient safeguarding protocols within hospital trusts. The upcoming trial will be a critical step in establishing the facts of this deeply troubling case.
