Spared prison because he went on a safeguarding course? Ffs

[Theloftmonster]

Really sorry, it is the Fail but...

Senior doctor found guilty of assaulting two nurses working in the same department. Grabbing one nurse's buttocks in front of a patient and their family. Someone actually had to intervene to move him away from a woman he was assaulting. He was described as having two sides to his personality and had no proper sexual boundaries whilst at work.

The judge gave him a suspended sentence, one reason was he has gone on a safeguarding course and is now aware of proper boundaries. Really?? I am fairly confident that this practicing doctor in his 50s has had many, many discussions, courses, leaflets, tests, cpd etc relating to safeguarding.

The man is a serial sex offender, he is in a position of authority and trust. He assaulted staff that were below him in the department structure. Hoe does that not justify a prison sentence?

Is this the right link because this version of the headline also mentions allegations of death threats?

Senior doctor, 53, is spared jail after repeatedly groping nurses as court hears he previously threatened to kill his wife with scissors and hit a young child in the face

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7861217/Doctor-53-spared-jail-despite-repeatedly-groping-nurses.html

If that's his treatment of women colleagues I dread to think what behaviour he visited on vulnerable patients. And OP, for what it's worth, the Mail are repeatedly highlighting all sorts of issues about women, children and abuse that the likes of the Guardian & BBC prefer not to mention. So no need to apologise.

Yes that's the one. I didn't mention the domestic abuse of both his wife and daughter because the story read like those were not included in the current sentencing.

Mahendran was given a 12 month term suspended for 18 months and ordered to carry out 50 hours unpaid work and 60 days of rehabilitation activities.

This is yet another case where it would be helpful to see the sentencing remarks if they're available (I can't find them).

He's got to sign the sex offenders register for 10 yrs.

Presumably he will be automatically struck off?

He's got to sign the sex offenders register for 10 yrs.
Presumably he will be automatically struck off?

Not necessarily although it tends to be automatic if sexual abuse of children is involved:

doctorsdefenceservice.com/gmc-mpts/can-a-doctor-practise-while-on-the-sex-offenders-register/

ArranUpsideDown
Doctors Defence Services regularly advise doctors on the the steps that they should take to increase their prospects of success at a GMC/MPTS hearing, given their particular sexual offending or sexually inappropriate history. Our lawyers have represented many sex offenders at the GMC/MPTS over the years, with many doctors retaining their registrations.
Right another naive illusion shattered.

I would hope GMC will strike him off for this, utterly appalling (esp given this is effectively a second strike, taking into account his previous conviction)

If that's his treatment of women colleagues I dread to think what behaviour he visited on vulnerable patients

Precisely. There is a very serious problem with the unequal power dynamic between doctors and patients and the difficulty with holding doctors accountable. There needs to be a robust protection against rogue doctors but unfortunately in the UK, this is not the case. There needs to be an entirely separate authority which hears complaints against doctors. Doctors policing themselves doesn’t work. Until this happens, egregious cases like this will continue.

And of course, getting yourself removed from the sex offenders register appears to be remarkably easy these days:

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7846583/Sex-offenders-allowed-sign-danger-list.html

This is appalling. I'm really concerned for his wife and children, more than anything. Violent abuser - why is he not in prison?

Is the GMC not separate, Bovary?

The court also heard how the hospital doctor had previous convictions for common assault and battery after an attack on his ex wife in which he threatened to kill her with a pair of scissors.

In 2017, he was also fined £2,000 for hitting and leaving a bruise on a young child.

Well doesn't he sound just lovely.

@ArranUpsideDown Try www.judiciary.uk/ you can see the famous sex offenders summing up from the judge

I did look at judiciary.uk but as the sentence was only given today it might be a bit soon for sentencing remarks to be published. Of course, it's not a given that they'll be made available at all.

www.judiciary.uk/judgments/

Scrimshaw

How independent is the GMC? How effective is it at protecting patients against rogue doctors? How easy is it for patients to successfully register complaints against doctors? From Shipman to the Francis Report, how is the unequal power dynamic between patients and doctors served by the GMC?

The GMC was most heavily criticised by Dame Janet Smith as part of her inquiry into the issues arising from the case of Dr Harold Shipman. "Expediency," says Dame Janet, "replaced principle." Dame Janet maintained that the GMC failed to deal properly with Fitness to Practise (FTP) cases, particularly involving established and respected doctors