A BOY who was allegedly abused by a West Berkshire GP was ‘mortified’ and ‘cried himself to sleep’, a jury has heard.

Dr Robin Borthwick, 79, of Southend Road, Bradfield, has been charged with committing five counts of indecent assault on an eight-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

The historic sexual offences are alleged to have been committed during the 1970s and 1980s at three locations; two in private properties in West Berkshire and also the GP surgery, Calcot Surgery.

READ MORE: WATCH: Trio fight outside The Oracle, Reading over 'cigarette'

A trial of facts has started at Reading Crown Court on Thursday (October 19) as Dr Borthwick has been declared unfit to stand trial.

What is a trial of facts? Read more here.

He is not required to be present throughout the proceedings, which are expected to conclude this week.

Addressing the jury, prosecutor Charles Ward-Jackson described an alleged incident between the GP and the boy, claiming the eight-year-old was ‘mortified’.

“He was embarrassed by it,” he said. “He was deeply mortified by it and he went to bed and cried himself to sleep.”

Opening the case, Mr Ward-Jackson explained that the boy had not reported the alleged incidents until 2021 when he ‘finally summoned the courage’.

READ MORE: Trial of GP charged with sexual abuse of boy, 8, delayed

“Such cases sometimes take a long time to come to court,” he said. “As some complainants who were young children don’t often report it straight away.

“Sometimes it takes a long time for complainants to come to terms and the prosecution say this is a such a case.”

Mr Ward-Jackson said that Dr Borthwick was a ‘family friend’ at the time of the alleged incidents and was a ‘respected member of the community’.

It is alleged he would take the boy on day trips out to London and Beaconsfield as well as buying him gifts such as a digital alarm clock and a bicycle.

When the boy was about eight years old, Dr Borthwick is purported to have asked him to get out of bed and remove his pyjamas before touching him sexually.

This is alleged to have occurred several times at a private property. It is also alleged Dr Borthwick did a similar act at the Calcot Surgery out-of-hours.

Mr Ward-Jackson said due to the setting it ‘felt almost like an examination’ but the touching was ‘not medically justified’.

There was a further incident at a second private property when the boy was slightly older which he remembers as being the last alleged offence.

READ MORE: Reading drug dealer has sentencing delayed in court

“It was deeply shocking for a young boy and he didn’t know who to turn to,” said Mr Ward-Jackson. He didn’t know what to do so he kept his silence and he remained unhappy but he kept it to himself.”

The trial continues.