A doctor told a court today that he definitely did not slap a nine-year-old girl round the face at a clinic in Epsom Hospital.

Dr Hossam Dabis, 62, from Sutton, appeared at South East Surrey Magistrates’ Court after pleading not guilty to hitting the girl on August 23 last year.

"Definitely I did not slap the girl. I did not slap the girl, 100 per cent," said Dr Dabis under cross-examination. "It never happened. It’s inconceivable that I would slap a child in a clinic."

The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared by video link yesterday and said she had been sitting on her father’s lap with her family when the doctor suddenly slapped her cheek.

When asked why the family would make up these allegations, Dr Dabis said: "I have not got the foggiest idea why they did this. I have not done anything untoward."

He said: "I cannot recall any problems in the consultation. The family were fine, the children were fine."

Prosecutor Tanya Roberts said Dr Dabis had noticed the child appeared 'withdrawn', and went on to suggest perhaps he tried to ‘knock her out of it’.

But Dr Dabis, who was wearing a black suit and waistcoat, said: "If she was unhappy, why should she be slapped? Why should she be hurt? It’s illogical."

He said he asked the girl to pick up his pen to build up rapport, adding: "I treated her the same way as I treat my grandchildren."

In a video interview shown yesterday the girl said when asked if she was a ‘good girl’ she said ‘I’m cheeky’ and the doctor replied ‘is it because I hit you?’.

But today the doctor, who has a white moustache, said: "I did nothing of the kind. Not at all. It’s illogical to say ‘because I hit you’. It never happened."

However, he did say that he often asks ‘are you a good girl or a naughty girl?’ in order to break the ice with children and have a giggle before carrying on with the clinic.

He said he cannot remember if he asked the question on this occasion or if he touched the girl at all during the appointment for her younger sister.

When questioned over his usual ‘physical contact’ with children, he said: "I do clinics and I examine patients. I have seen thousands and thousands of children over the years.

"I reassure children and put them at ease. It’s my duty."

The two-day trial is expected to end today. Dr Dabis, of Golf Side, Sutton, has been excluded from working at Epsom and St Helier Hospital NHS Trust until the matter is resolved.