Trafford breast surgeon guilty of carrying out "completely unnecessary" operations.

A breast surgeon has been convicted of 17 counts of wounding with intent after carrying out a series of completely unnecessary'' operations - possibly to improve his earnings

Ian Paterson, who was also convicted of three counts of unlawful wounding, was described in court by one victim as being like God'', lied to patients and exaggerated - or invented - the risk of cancer to convince them to go under the knife.

The 59-year-old did so for obscure motives'' which may have included a desire toearn extra money'', his trial at Nottingham Crown Court heard.

The surgeon had maintained that all the operations were necessary - but a jury of six men and five women agreed with the prosecution that Paterson carried out extensive, life-changing operations for no medically justifiable reason''.

A woman who had an unnecessary mastectomy carried out by Mr Paterson said she hopes the convicted surgeon rots in hell''.

Frances Perks, whose mother and sister died from breast cancer, was advised to undergo a series of operations, fearing she could develop full-blown cancer''.

Mrs Perks wept recalling her ordeal at the trial of Paterson, who has been convicted of carrying out unneeded operations against her and nine other patients between 1997 and 2011.

Mrs Perks, who was first referred to Paterson in 1994 when she was 35, said: I think he's a psychopath. Why would anyone in their right mind do operations to people knowing that they didn't need them?

My feelings towards him is I hate him with a passion. You wouldn't be able to print what I truly think of him and what I would like to see happen to him.

But I hope he goes down for a very long time and I hope he has a dreadful time in prison and hope he rots in hell.''

Another victim, Patricia Welch - who had a mastectomy after being told she was a ticking bomb'' - said her impressions of him completely changed when she found out her operation was not needed.

She said: I haven't got any words to describe what he is to me.

He's just despicable, he just thinks he can play God with people's lives.

I know we were led to believe he was a wonderful man, and he was a wonderful man to us.

It was such a shock when it turned out what he had been doing was completely wrong.

I really don't know how he can live with himself.''

Ian Paterson will be sentenced at a later date.