Indian-origin UK doc charged with multiple sexual offences appears in court

Manish Shah, an Indian-origin family doctor yesterday appeared before a UK court charged with 118 sexual offences, including sexually assaulting a girl aged under 13.

Barkingsides Magistrates Court.
Barkingsides Magistrates Court. Photo courtesy: tubeforlols.wordpress.com

The 47-year-old, from Romford area of London, had been charged with 65 counts of assault by penetration and 52 allegations of sexual assault by Scotland Yard earlier this month.

“Manish Shah has been charged with 65 assault by penetration, contrary to Section 2 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, 52 sexual assault, contrary to Section 3 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, and 1 sexual assault on a child under 13 years, contrary to Section 7 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003,” the Met Police said in a statement.

The offences are alleged to have taken place at a medical practice in Havering, Romford, between June 2004 and July 2013, when he was first arrested.

IANS reported that Shah was granted bail on the condition he does not attend his former surgery and does not contact any current or former patients of the surgery or any of its past or current employees.

Shah was also barred from practising as a doctor and from accessing any NHS medical records. Scotland Yard had launched an investigation after several people contacted the police in July and August 2013.

Judge Richard Hawgood at the Barkingsides’ Magistrates Court granted him conditional bail and set September 27 as the date for his next court appearance at a plea and case management hearing at Snaresbrook Crown Court in north-east London.

“These are matters that can only be dealt with in the crown court, or they are matters that are linked to matters that can only be heard at crown court,” Judge Hawgood said.

Shah has been suspended from practising as a general practitioner (GP) by the UK’s General Medical Council (GMC) and is barred from accessing medical records held by the country’s state-funded National Health Service (NHS), the court was told.

His bail condition states that he must not attend his former surgery in east London or contact any current or former patients of the surgery or any of its past or current employees.

Shah is a family planning specialist who trained at St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London and qualified in 1993.

Author
Tushaar Kuthiala
Tushaar Kuthiala – Associate Editor

Tushaar has extensive experience as a journalist and in founding two start-up newspapers. He has developed editorial models for both copy and content, and has written several articles, news reports on a wide range of topics. He is a graduate of St. Stephen’s College and earned a post-graduate diploma in TV Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai. He has worked as a special correspondent based in New Delhi with Daily World, an international media organisation. 

Comments
Poll

Which team do you think will win IPL 2023?

  • Chennai Super Kings
  • Royal Challengers Bangalore
  • Mumbai Indians
  • Gujarat Titans
  • Kolkata Knight Riders
  • Delhi Capitals
  • Sunrisers Hyderabad
  • Lucknow Super Giants
  • Royal Challengers Bangalore
  • Punjab Kings
Answer
Write your story

Contribute an Article

Learn more