A WOMAN who claims a York psychiatrist indecently assaulted her, returned for further treatment six years after lodging a complaint, a jury heard today.

The woman, in her fifties, has accused Michael Haslam, now 69, of indecently assaulting her during a massage at the former Clifton Hospital, in 1981.

Haslam, of Crayke, Easingwold, now retired, told the jury at Leeds Crown Court that a letter written by the complainant in February 1981 was never brought to his attention. The letter said she was "upset and disturbed" by the treatment she had received.

Reading medical records, Haslam said he began treating the woman as an NHS patient after she was referred to him from The Retreat, the private psychiatric hospital in Heslington Lane, York, in 1979.

He started treating her as a private patient in 1987 in a room that he hired in St Mary's, York. Haslam told the court he had no recollection of the woman, or of the letter of complaint.

Haslam denies four charges of indecent assault and one of rape.

The charges are said to involve three women.

Another woman has alleged that she fell unconscious while breathing carbon dioxide under Haslam's instruction and came round to find him spreadeagled on her.

Haslam claimed that carbon dioxide therapy could lead to unconsciousness if administered as a mix of 30 per cent of the gas with 70 per cent oxygen.

But he always used a mix of 70 per cent carbon dioxide with 30 per cent oxygen, which could never knock out anyone.

Haslam said he introduced massage to Clifton Hospital after taking a ten-week course run by Eslen masseurs, of Manchester, as a relaxation aid, but abandoned it after about six months because of practical difficulties.

One of the alleged abuse victims has claimed that Haslam used baby oil and fondled her sexually during a massage. The doctor disputed details given by another woman about a room in which he took a photo of the electro-magnetic aura of her hands.

He said that she could not have run out of the room as she claimed because that would have ruined the photograph.

Throughout yesterday, Haslam told the jury about his career and details of his clinical work and research. His barrister, Tom Bayliss QC, read out papers Haslam presented to international conferences and parts of two books on sexual disorders, which the doctor had written. Haslam said he specialised in psychosexual conditions and was always willing to try new treatments.

The trial continues.

Updated: 14:31 Friday, November 28, 2003