By Sky News - 10/04/2024 - [UK] - [Tijion Esho]
A TV cosmetic doctor gave free Botox to an OnlyFans model in return for sex at his clinic, a medical tribunal has found.
Dr Tijion Esho, who has featured on ITV's This Morning, BBC's Morning Live and E4's Body Fixers, admitted to an improper emotional relationship with the woman, referred to as Patient A, after they exchanged "inappropriate" sexual messages on Instagram.
However, the 42-year-old, who has a host of celebrity clients, told a Medical Tribunal Practitioners Service (MPTS) hearing that he never had any physical sexual contact with the woman, who provided sex services via OnlyFans and webcams.
'Botox in exchange for sexual services'
The MPTS panel, sitting in Manchester, ruled that Dr Esho did have sexual intercourse with Patient A at his clinic in Newcastle upon Tyne in 2021 and administered Botox free of charge.
In a message exchanged between the pair in 2019, Dr Esho appeared to tell her that if they had sex in exchange for a cosmetic treatment he would be breaking the "doctor's code".
It also ruled that he told her he "could get away with giving her Botox in exchange for sexual services".
The panel found that the overall conduct of the doctor, also known as Oluwafemi Esho, was sexually motivated, but it did not find Patient A to be vulnerable because of her profession.
The panel also said that at a consultation months before the sexual intercourse, Dr Esho had stroked the woman's hair and rubbed himself against her after making inappropriate comments about the shape of her bottom.
A year earlier, at another consultation, he made similar remarks to Patient A, again rubbing himself against her, the panel determined. Ruling on future as doctor
The MPTS hearing will reconvene later this month to decide whether Dr Esho's fitness to practise is impaired because of his misconduct.
In October 2022, Dr Esho had temporary restrictions imposed on his practice while an inquiry was carried out by the General Medical Council. He was not allowed to see female patients without a chaperone or have contact with patients outside a clinical setting.
Dr Esho previously featured on ITV's This Morning programme to provide his medical opinion and comment on cosmetic surgery discussions. He was also regularly consulted on Body Fixers for E4, which aired for two seasons in 2016 and 2017, and made appearances on segments of BBC's Morning Live until the summer of 2022.
Dr Esho is the founder of the Esho Clinic, which also has locations in London, Liverpool and Dubai. If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can contact Dignity4Patients, whose helpline is open Monday to Thursday 10am to 4pm.
Dignity4Patients Commentary: Doctors accused of sexual misconduct once often end up being repeat offenders. Unfortunately, this doctor has clinic in Dubai where the UK Medical Counsel have no power or authority to sanction or stop this doctor from practising even if they revoke his license in the UK. This lack of joined up register of doctors means predators can remain in healthcare in another country.