A senior intensive care doctor has been suspended for 12 months after being found guilty of sexually assaulting two female NHS workers at a hospital in Wales. Dr Naleen Thota, 55, an associate specialist in anaesthetics, committed the offences at Morriston Hospital in Swansea, where he was employed at the time.
Details of the Assaults
The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) ruled that Thota's fitness to practise was currently impaired. The tribunal heard that Thota hugged one female colleague on multiple occasions and squeezed her right hip while making an inappropriate sound. In a victim statement, one woman said Thota had 'wielded his position of power like a weapon to hurt me and silence me'. Another victim described how Thota used a 'friendly facade' to groom the women, calling his behaviour 'predatory and calculating'.
Court Proceedings and Sentencing
Thota, who trained in India and moved to the UK 22 years ago, denied two charges of sexual assault but was found guilty after a trial at Swansea Crown Court. Judge Catherine Richards condemned his actions as 'a gross and calculated abuse of power and position', adding that the offences were 'born out of the exercise of power that was used against these women without regard to the impact on them'. She praised the victims for their 'enormous courage and strength' in coming forward.
Thota received a 21-month suspended sentence, 300 hours of unpaid work, and was ordered to complete a rehabilitation course. He must register as a sex offender for 10 years and is prohibited from contacting his victims for at least a decade.
Defence and Consequences
Defending barrister Hywel Davies stated that the shame brought upon Thota's family would force him to sell his home and downsize. The MPTS panel, chaired by Bushra Tabassum, determined that a 12-month suspension was appropriate to protect the public and maintain confidence in the medical profession.
