A consultant psychiatrist with an "overbearing desire for sex" raped or indecently assaulted nine vulnerable women over nearly 20 years, a court has heard.

Christopher Allison, 60, of Hall Lane, Risby, near Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, was a psychotherapist at clinics in Kent and Hampshire during the 1980s and 1990s when the alleged assaults took place.

Mr Allison denies 14 counts of indecent assault, seven counts of rape and one count of attempted rape between 1982 and 1999 in Kent and Hampshire.

Charles Gabb, prosecuting at Winchester Crown Court, said Mr Allison befriended the women, who came to him for sexual problems, depression and low self-esteem.

Sexual magazines

Over months of consultations, he started first to touch them, stroke them, and show them sexual magazines, before finally indecently assaulting or raping the women, it is claimed.

Mr Gabb said Mr Allison had a vulnerability which was "an overbearing desire for sex" and had exploited the women in a cynical way.

"He does not jump in straight away," he said.

"He waits sometimes longer, sometimes shorter."

Mr Gabb said Mr Allison waited until the opportunity presented itself or something happened "so that he cannot hold himself back any longer".

"It's effectively lulling his patients into a false sense of security," he told the court.

The trial continues.