POLICE last night paid tribute to the “courageous” women who came forward after being abused as patients of a perverted osteopath.Owen Bull, from Ipswich, was told to expect a substantial prison sentence yesterday after he was convicted of a string of sex assaults on female patients, including an undercover policewoman.

By Danielle Nuttall

POLICE last night paid tribute to the “courageous” women who came forward after being abused as patients of a perverted osteopath.

Owen Bull, from Ipswich, was told to expect a substantial prison sentence yesterday after he was convicted of a string of sex assaults on female patients, including an undercover policewoman.

The osteopath, formerly of Woodbridge Road East, was convicted of attempted rape, two indecent assaults and a sexual assault following a month-long trial at Norwich Crown Court.

The 49-year-old was cleared of two sexual assaults and an indecent assault.

Bull, who wore a pale-green suit, green tie and shirt, remained impassive as he was led from the dock by a security officer following yesterday's verdicts.

His wife Jill, who had been present throughout the trial, did not attend yesterday's hearing.

She left the court close to tears on Thursday when the guilty verdicts were returned.

Last night, a spokesman for Suffolk police, said: “Owen Bull was in a position of trust. He chose to abuse that trust by conducting a series of sexual and indecent assaults on female patients.

“Suffolk police would like to pay tribute to the women who had the courage to come forward to report these offences so that a full investigation could take place.”

Prosecutors said Bull faced a lengthy custodial sentence. A charge of attempted rape carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment alone.

Judge Paul Downes told Bull: “It must be apparent to you and must have been for some time that the jury having convicted you of serious offences a prison sentence is virtually inevitable.”

He ordered a pre-sentence and psychiatric report to be carried out and remanded Bull in custody until September 7, when he will be sentenced.

The judge praised “the immense amount of work” carried out by officers who led the investigation, and said he would commend their achievements to Suffolk's Chief Constable.

The charges against Bull, all of which he denied, related to seven victims aged 37 to 77 over a three-year period.

During the trial, the jury heard how an undercover policewoman investigated Bull following complaints from patients.

The officer visited his surgery for treatment during July, August and September in 2005 using secret recording equipment capturing both sound and images of Bull giving her treatment.

On her third and fourth visit, Bull had started to touch her right breast and ran his fingers up and down her spine, the court heard.

It was said that when officers viewed the film recorded by the hidden camera, they discovered that unbeknown to the officer, he had been fondling his genital area while touching her breast.

He also touched another patient near to her vagina, sucked the finger of another patient and exposed himself, and attempted to orally rape another woman.

Bull now almost certainly faces expulsion from his profession.

A spokeswoman for regulatory body the General Osteopathic Council (GOC) said Bull had been suspended from practice since the time of his arrest.

She said the professional conduct committee would meet after the case to decide the action to be taken against him.

“We would hope the steps taken by the police and the council as soon as these offences came to light will give some reassurance to the public,” she added.

Bull qualified as an osteopath in the early 1990s and registered with the GOC in February 2000, shortly after it was set up. Previously, osteopathy had not been regulated.