A FORMER GP accused of sexually assaulting a woman is due to stand trial after pleading not guilty to the offence.

Prakashchandra Jain, who worked at Askam's Parklands GP surgery, was arrested in connection with the assault in 2019.

The 72-year-old is charged with sexually touching a woman aged 16 or over without her consent.

It is said that the doctor did not reasonably believe the woman was consenting during the alleged incident in August 2019.

Jain appeared at Preston Crown Court yesterday where he entered a not guilty plea to the charge.

He has been granted unconditional bail until the trial which is due to take place on July 3.

A pre-trial review is also set to take place on May 9.

Following his arrest, bosses at the clinical commissioning group, which oversees general practitioner care in south Cumbria, informed patients that the GP was not able to work.

A locum GP covered for him in his absence.

Mr Jain, of Parklands Drive in Askam, announced plans to retire from practice in March 2020.

Following that the future of the surgery and how it would serve more than 1,000 registered patients was thrown into doubt.

But after months of campaigning by the Save our Surgery Group, the practice was rescued from permanent closure.

The running of the surgery was eventually taken over by Duddon Valley Medical Practice after the GP's retirement.