A FAMILY doctor has been warned he could face jail after being convicted of groping three women patients.

Ian Cowie, 50, of High Street, Hanging Heaton, was found guilty of indecently assaulting a woman by squeezing her breast.

The jury at Leeds Crown Court - made up of nine men and three women - convicted Cowie by a 10-1 majority verdict.

Cowie, who practised in Batley and Chickenley, had been on trial after denying five counts of indecent assault, between 1994 and 2002.

Last Friday he was convicted of indecently assaulting two female patients and cleared of indecently assaulting a further two.

The offence Cowie was convicted for yesterday concerned a woman who visited him in January 2000, complaining of chest pains.

While examining her, he pushed his hand up the front of her top and rubbed her left breast without warning.

He then squeezed her breast with his hand and shook it before saying: "Is this where the pain is?"

The woman noticed Cowie smelt of whisky, his breathing was heavy and his face was red.

The other two indecent assaults concerned him pulling up a woman patient's bra without warning and rubbing the breasts of a female student who had come to see him about a stomach complaint.

Cowie will be sentenced at a later date after reports have been prepared.

Judge Shaun Spencer told him: "You must bear in mind that for a doctor to be convicted of indecently assaulting female patients is a serious matter and I am bound to have a custodial sentence very much in the forefront of my thinking."

Cowie was told he will be placed on the sex offenders' register.

His barrister, William Coker QC, was granted an adjournment for sentencing so that medical and pre-sentence reports can be prepared on Cowie.

Mr Coker said: "I would invited you to adjourn so that the court can investigate Dr Cowie's ability to cope with a custodial sentence, considering the background of alcoholism and so on."

It is expected that Cowie will be sentenced on October 24.

Cowie was granted conditional bail until the hearing.

He has to live at his address in Hanging Heaton and must attend interviews with a probation officer when required.

His sister, who was in court to support him, had offered to provide assurance for his bail but the judge said he thought there was no risk of Cowie absconding.