Indian doctor in UK convicted of sexual assault

An Indian-origin doctor has been found guilty of sexually assaulting two women patients and is likely to face a jail sentence.

Rajinder Aggarwal, 54, who has been found guilty of sexually assaulting the two women while working as a locum at the Aveley medical Centre in South Ockendon and Homerton Hospital in East London between December 2006 and January 2007, is also likely to be barred from practising in Britian.

The General Medical Council, which registers doctors to practise medicine in the UK, has suspended Aggarwal. He will now be required to sign on the sex offender register.

At the Basildon Crown Court, judge Christopher Mitchell adjourned sentencing so that probation and medical reports could be prepared, but said: "Dr Aggarwal will be in no doubt whatsoever that he will be struck off (the medical register)."

The first victim was reportedly attacked by Aggarwal on the first day he went to work at Aveley Medical Centre on December 1, 2006.

The court was told that he allegedly had undone the victim's clothes and asked about her sex life while examining her abdomen. He then allegedly asked her to face the wall and slapped on her backside. 

The 54-year-old, Punjabi University graduate, carried out a very similar attack on another woman patient at the Homerton Hospital on 28 January 2007 when she had gone to see him because she was suffering pains in her chest.

She alleged that he asked her to lie down on the couch and "misbehaved" while examining her abdomen and asked about her sex life. Once again, before leaving the consultation he slapped her on the backside.

The sentence is expected to be pronounced later this year.