By Eniola Amadu
A Scottish charity has called for the suspension of a General Practitioner (GP) accused of harassing a rape survivor online.
Dr Andrew McFarlane, 61, is facing communications charges after he allegedly used social media to target Ellie Wilson, who was raped by his son Daniel McFarlane in 2017–2018.
In a series of posts on X, the GP called Ms Wilson a “manipulative liar,” “slut,” and “hippo.”
Dr McFarlane was arrested and charged in August, but despite complaints from Rape Crisis Scotland, he remains free to practise in NHS Highland.
The charity said he had caused Ms Wilson “a great deal of distress” and urged the General Medical Council (GMC) to suspend him while an investigation is ongoing.
Ms Wilson became an outspoken campaigner for survivors of sexual violence after her attacker then a medical student at the University of Glasgow was convicted of two counts of rape in July 2022 and sentenced to five years in prison.
His conviction was secured partly through a covert recording in which he admitted to the assault.
Earlier this year, Dr McFarlane began posting about the case, claiming his son was the victim of a miscarriage of justice.
He also shared screenshots of private and sexual conversations between his son and Ms Wilson.
In July, Rape Crisis Scotland lodged a formal complaint with the GMC, describing the GP’s behaviour as “deeply troubling” and “abusive.”
Chief executive Sandy Brindley said his actions were “particularly concerning” for someone in a profession that requires “handling patient information sensitively.”
The GMC referred the case to the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS), which imposed conditions on Dr McFarlane’s registration instead of suspending him.
These require him to inform the GMC of any changes to his employment or contact details.
However, after he was charged less than a week later, Ms Brindley wrote again to the GMC, expressing “grave concerns” about the regulator’s response.
“Survivors seeing a practising GP harassing and publicly questioning a rape conviction could lose trust in their own doctors,” she warned.
