Dr Mohammed Iqbal has been jailed for 18 months after a jury found him guilty of sexually assaulting two women during medical examinations. The assaults took place while he assessed patients who had been injured in car crashes, at clinics in Newcastle, County Durham and Sunderland.
Iqbal, a partner at a GP practice, prepared reports on patients for the purpose of assessing damages arising from car accidents. Newcastle Crown Court heard it was during these assessments that he committed the assaults. He denied two counts of sexual assault but was convicted by a jury.
Gross breach of trust
Sentencing, Judge Edward Bindloss said: "You were using a medical examination in relation to (the patients) as a cover for sexually assaulting them. In a gross breach of trust of the doctor patient relationship, you sexually assaulted both of them."
The women had suffered physical injuries in car accidents. Iqbal was paid by insurance companies to provide medical reports and regularly travelled from his home in Ireland, where he was a GP, to carry out this work in the UK.
Assaults detailed in court
During an appointment with the first victim in County Durham, he told her to stand up, then rubbed against her in an aroused state for up to 40 seconds and squeezed her breast. Some weeks later, in Sunderland, he asked the second victim to remove her top and touched both of her naked breasts, which she described as "had a good feel".
The court heard one victim had suffered significant physical injuries in the car accident and became upset when reliving the crash with Iqbal, to the extent he recommended in his report that she receive psychological counselling. Judge Bindloss said: "So you were well aware of the harm the accident had caused to her psychologically. That made her vulnerable and you knew of her vulnerability prior to sexually assaulting her."
Victim impact statements
One victim said in a statement: "I would not normally disclose something so deeply personal to me. I do not want to be labelled a victim or a statistic but, Dr Iqbal, this is what you have made me. I went to you as a doctor, as someone in a position of trust and you not only completely betrayed this position but also the medical oath you have taken. You also sexually assaulted me that day and I can never forgive you for that.
"Imagine not trusting a doctor. Again, that’s what you have done to me and my family. On the day I found out Dr Iqbal had been found guilty I cried so hard, I was shaking. I really hope that if there are other people who have been sexually assaulted by you, that they can find the courage and strength from this verdict, come forward and report you. You should never ever be allowed or have the opportunity to set up as any kind of health practitioner, be it medical or holistic that lends itself to private consultations with clients or patients behind closed doors. The public need to be protected from having this relationship with you."
The second victim told the court: "I’ve gone through a myriad of emotions one of which was anger. When Dr Iqbal chose to assault me in the medical examination I was vulnerable. I remember being in floods of tears recounting what happened during the accident. He took advantage of that vulnerability and he was wrong to do so. I couldn’t understand why I didn’t say anything at the time, but I’ve since learned that that’s quite common.
"When I left the examination I realise I was in shock and that shock continued for months until I received the report. Then I was angry. Angry at the fact that Dr Iqbal had lied on the report, more importantly that he assaulted me. He broke a sacred trust." She added: "I’ve also experienced fear and anxiety and I’m still cautious whenever I have to go to any medical appointments. I ask for a chaperone or take someone with me." She also said: "One thing I can say today to Mr Iqbal is that I forgive you. I am a woman of faith and it serves no purpose to hold onto unforgiveness. It is my prayer that you get help."
Background and sentencing
Iqbal, 64, of Hillcrest, Julianstown, County Meath, Ireland, had been a doctor for many years and was licensed in the UK and Ireland. He was described as a "well-regarded doctor and colleague" with character references praising him as generous, loyal, courteous, of good humour, caring and compassionate. He was a partner at a GP practice in Ireland and is currently suspended by the General Medical Council, with his registration likely to be lost. He has also been suspended by the Irish Medical Council and his GP practice has been terminated.
Judge Bindloss noted Iqbal has no previous convictions and is not classed as posing a high risk of harm, factors that often lead to a suspended sentence. He added: "But this offence is of such seriousness because it undermines a precious bond of trust between a physician and his patient. Patients need to know the doctor they are seeing has their best interests at heart - that's the basis for the whole relationship. (The victims) in their victim personal statements mention the breach of trust and the effect it's had on them and their confidence. In my judgement, the only way appropriate punishment can be achieved is by immediate custody."
Phil Gibbs, defending, said: "He accepts through his actions he has brought an end to a relatively illustrious career and brought about his downfall. That's a significant punishment. He accepts he will never work as a doctor again. His actions have brought all of this downfall on himself. He has lost his good name, he has placed his family in peril because he now has no income and his wife has no income. Their three children are adults. They still have a fairly significant mortgage, which it's unclear how they are going to meet now."
