An NHS psychiatrist currently working at Suffolk’s mental health trust is facing allegations of sexual misconduct towards five female colleagues in Portsmouth, it has been revealed.

Dr James Ugbo, who has been working for the Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust (NSFT) as a locum for around two years, is alleged to have behaved in an inappropriate and sexually motivated way towards five women while working at a mental health hospital in Havant, near Portsmouth.

The 57-year-old is understood to be working in the trust's Coastal Integrated Delivery Team (IDT), including at Walker Close in Ipswich.

A tribunal is currently under way in Manchester, having started this week, looking into the allegations facing Dr Ugbo.

His alleged sexual misconduct is said to have taken place at Elmleigh Hospital, between 2015 and 2017.

An NSFT spokesman said: "Dr Ugbo has been working for the trust for about two years as a locum in east Suffolk.

"We will not be making any further comment until the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service hearing has concluded and the outcome is known."

The hearing, which began on October 21, has been listed for 15 days and is expected to continue until November 8.

Allegations against Dr Ugbo, between 2015 and 2017 at Elmleigh Hospital, include that he:

- Grabbed one colleague's face and asked if he could kiss her

- Pulled another's clothing away from her shoulder and rubbed his fingers against hers

- Caressed another colleague's stomach and attempted to hold her hand

- Said to another colleague 'you look like a vision in pink today', and 'out of all the doctors I have met you always dress elegantly and amazingly', or words to that effect

- Touched and/or left his hand on another colleague's hands and arms, and would kiss her on the cheek

- Kissed one colleague on the lips, took her by the hand and led her to his office

His actions are alleged to have been sexually motivated, inappropriate and carried out without consent.