A Sydney-based doctor, who had worked in New Zealand for two decades, has been found guilty of 18 sex offences including sexual intercourse without the consent of multiple female patients under his authority, reported www.stuff.co.nz.

Sharif Fattah used his position as a doctor to prey on female patients while working at Camden Health Care Centre over a six-month period from September 2016.

Sixteen women, aged between 19 and 40, gave evidence against Dr Fattah, reports www.9news.com.au.

They had visited him to treat conditions including rashes, chest infections, back pain and vitamin deficiencies.

Instead, he performed ‘unnecessary examinations’ and touched them on their breasts and genitalia for his own sexual gratification.

Sharif Fattah, 62, had denied 30 charges of sexual or indecent assault allegedly committed in Australia during medical consultations in the six months from September 2016.

He gave evidence the allegations were incorrect, untrue and ‘absolutely wrong’. But a New South Wales District Court jury on Tuesday found him guilty of 18 of the charges.

These include 13 counts of sexual intercourse without consent and five counts of assault with act of indecency. He was found not guilty of the 12 other offences.

Fattah was accused of performing medically unnecessary examinations on the women for his own sexual gratification but argued at trial each had a ‘proper medical purpose’.

The 16 female complainants, who each gave evidence, were aged between 19 and 40.

Fattah had worked as a GP for 20 years in New Zealand before moving to Australia and starting work at a health centre in Sydney in mid-2016, the court had been told during the trial.

Fattah’s matter returns to court on Friday, May 17.