Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Romford doctor jailed for 90 sex assaults  

A DOCTOR, who exploited women's cancer fears to carry out invasive intimate examinations, has been given three life sentences for 90 sexual assaults on female patients in London on Friday (7).

Romford based Manish Shah,50, assaulted 23 women and a 15-year-old girl while working in London and was described by the sentencing judge as a "master of deception who abused his position of power".


"You made up stories which got into heads and caused panic," said Judge Anne Molyneux at the Old Bailey court.

"Your behaviour was not only sexual but was driven by your desire to control and on occasions humiliate women," she said.

The doctor who claimed the assaults were "defensive medicine" was found guilty of 25 sexual offences against six victims at Mawney Medical Centre last autumn.

At an earlier trial in 2018, he was convicted of offences relating to 18 other people, bringing the total number of offences to 90.

The general practitioner (GP) was found guilty following a trial in December last year, when the jury heard how he used a news story during consultation with one patient about Hollywood star Angelina Jolie having a preventative mastectomy, before asking if she would like him to examine her breasts.

"He took advantage of his position to persuade women to have invasive vaginal examinations, breast examinations and rectal examinations when there was absolutely no medical need for them to be conducted," prosecutor Kate Bex told the jury during the trial.

“Fear is an incredible motivator and few health concerns are scarier than cancer. Dr Shah exploited that and used it for his own personal gratification,” she said.

Shah had denied any wrongdoing and his barrister, Zoe Johnson, told jurors he was a “cautious, insecure, perhaps at times incompetent GP”.

But the prosecution's case highlighted Shah's generally “sexualised” behaviour and also his tendency to flout state-funded National Health Service (NHS) guidelines on examinations.

He would reportedly give patients hugs and kisses, singling some out as “special” and his “star”, saying he had a soft spot for them.

Shah was suspended from the medical practice in 2013 when complaints came to light, resulting in a police investigation.

In mitigation at the end of the case, his barrister Zoe Johnson said: "It goes without saying that all of these women feel grossly abused, humiliated, and that the trust that they placed in Manish Shah has been so dreadfully exploited.

"He deeply regrets hurting them and cannot say sorry enough."

The doctor had convinced his victims to have unnecessary medical checks between May 2009 and June 2013.

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

The offences took place at a medical practice in Havering, Romford, until 2013 when he was first arrested.

Scotland Yard had launched an investigation after several people contacted the police in July and August 2013.

More For You

scotland-minimum-wages-iStock

Full-time workers on the National Living Wage will receive an annual pay increase of £1,400 in real terms. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

Wage increase takes effect for thousands of workers in Scotland

HUNDREDS of thousands of workers in Scotland will see a pay increase as new National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage rates take effect from Tuesday.

The changes will benefit approximately 220,000 people, according to STV News.

Keep ReadingShow less
uk-energy-bill-iStock

Water bills, energy prices, and council tax are rising, while the minimum wage has also increased (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

April bill increases put financial strain on single parents

A RANGE of essential household bills are increasing from April, with Citizens Advice warning that single parents will be among the hardest hit.

Water bills, energy prices, and council tax are rising, while the minimum wage has also increased, BBC reported.

Keep ReadingShow less
Netflix drama Adolescence to be screened in UK schools
Stephen Graham and Owen Cooper in 'Adolescence'
Netflix

Netflix drama Adolescence to be screened in UK schools

THE NETFLIX drama Adolescence will be shown in UK secondary schools as part of efforts to address harmful online influences on young boys, officials announced on Monday.

The show has sparked debate over the impact of toxic and misogynistic content on the internet. Prime minister Keir Starmer met the show's creators, charities, and young people at Downing Street, calling the initiative an important step in starting discussions about the content teenagers are exposed to online.

Keep ReadingShow less
Sanger-Tribute

Indian high commissioner Vikram Doraiswami speaking at the memorial.

Bhavan London pays tribute to Joginder Sanger

BHAVAN LONDON held a tribute event on 27 March to honour Joginder Sanger, a British Indian hotelier and philanthropist who passed away at 82 on 28 February.

Sanger, born in Jalandhar, India, established several London hotels, including the Washington Mayfair Hotel, Courthouse Hotels in Soho and Shoreditch, and the Bentley in Kensington.

Keep ReadingShow less
Imran-Khan-Getty

Imran Khan, founder of the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, has been in jail since August 2023. (Photo: Getty)

Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan nominated for Nobel Peace Prize

FORMER Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for his work on human rights and democracy.

The nomination was announced by members of the Pakistan World Alliance (PWA), an advocacy group formed in December, who are also part of the Norwegian political party Partiet Sentrum.

Keep ReadingShow less