July 2003 Specialist spared jail A WORLD renowned spine specialist has been barred from ever working with children again and given a six-month suspended jail term by a city court. David Holmes will also have to sign the sex offenders’ register after being convicted of indecent assault on a girl but was told he would be spared jail because of his “outstanding contribution” to society. The 60-year-old, who worked at Southampton General Hospital and the city’s Princess Anne Hospital, committed the offence during the course of an examination some time between 1992 and 1996, when the girl was aged between 12 and 16. He claimed an examination was necessary but a prosecution expert disagreed. Neither the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons but is now aged 22, or her mother reported the incident until they heard Holmes was being investigated by police in 2002. He was cleared on a further three charges of indecent assault. Back in May, his conviction was greeted with loud gasps and weeping from the public gallery. The verdict signalled the end of his ground-breaking career in medicine. Holmes, from Gudge Heath Lane, Fareham, worked as an orthotist – a spinal specialist. He has worked in the specialised area for 40 years, during which time he pioneered a revolutionary spinal brace in this country. It was this good work in medicine which should save him from prison, Southampton Crown Court heard. Matthew Farmer, mitigating, said: “There is no doubt that the patients and parents he has treated have every reason to be grateful to Mr Holmes. In my submission the degree to which he has contributed to society is outstanding. “The career of Mr Holmes and the good he has done – if you weigh that against the momentary nature of the assault, your honour can and should consider the imposition of a non- custodial sentence as the proper one.” Judge David Griffiths said: “You were treating vulnerable children and you took advantage of that. It seems to me that a prison sentence is called for to reflect those aggravating features. But I take the view that in these particular circumstances I can suspend the sentence.” Holmes was ordered to pay £5,000 costs.