A former Hampshire children's doctor who ''abused his position'' for his ''own sexual gratification'' has been found guilty of 14 counts of indecent assault.

Michael Salmon, 81, from the New Forest, worked as a consultant paediatrician in various hospitals in Buckinghamshire during the 1970s and 1980s when the offences took place.

The jury at Reading Crown Court found him guilty of 14 counts of indecent assault, but not guilty of rape and a further 11 counts of indecent assault.

He indecently assaulted patients and children accompanying patients - aged between eight and 15 - while examining them and performing ''unnecessary internal examinations'' and ''touching them inappropriately'', Thames Valley Police said.

Salmon, formerly from Wood Green in the New Forest, demanded that one victim, who had a medical problem to do with her ears, remove her clothes while he touched her inappropriately and did not examine her ears, while others were ''routinely'' made to disrobe.

He was struck off the medical register in 1991 after pleading guilty to three counts of indecent assault against young female patients in December 1990.

He was also jailed for 18 years in February 2015 after being found guilty of two counts of rape and nine counts of indecent assault, senior crown prosecutor for Thames and Chiltern Crown Prosecution Service, Nina Maisuria, said.

Ms Maisuria added: ''Michael Salmon abused his position as a consultant paediatrician and took advantage of his status and circumstances to sexually abuse the children, during medical examinations, for his own sexual gratification.

''He made inappropriate comments, asked about the sexual activity of the girls and disguised what he was doing to ensure that those he molested would be less likely to complain.''

Specialist investigator Emma Barlow thanked the victims and witnesses for coming forward, adding: ''Mr Salmon abused the trust placed in him in the most vile way for his own sexual gratification.

"The court heard repeatedly how Mr Salmon was trusted by his child patients and by their parents.

''In some cases the victims were afraid to report their concerns due to fear of not being believed due to Mr Salmon's position in society.

"Throughout the trial Mr Salmon described the accounts of his victims as fantasy, nonsense and fairytales.''

He was convicted on Monday after a seven-week-long trial and will be sentenced at Reading Crown Court on December 19.

His previous offences included indecent assault and two of rape on girls at Stoke Mandeville Hospital during the 1970s and 1980s, at the same time Jimmy Savile was abusing patients.

The court heard he thought he was “bomb-proof” because no-one would believe a child over him.

His crimes happened while he was working as a consultant paediatrician at hospitals in Buckinghamshire.

In one case he took a 16-year-old girl to his home and raped her, before dropping her off at a bus stop for her to make her own way home.