'Predatory' Havant GP struck off after sexually assaulting patients including a woman with terminal cancer
A doctor has been banned from practising medicine after sexually assaulting patients
A GP has been struck off for posing an ‘ongoing risk’ to the public after being convicted of sexually assaulting three women in his care - one of whom has since died of cancer.
The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service has found Mohan Babu’s “fitness to practise is impaired” following his conviction in January 2024, where he was found guilty of four counts of sexual assault against three victims after a three week trial at Portsmouth Crown Court.
The tribunal described Babu’s behaviour as “predatory”, “repeated and persistent”, and said he abused his position of trust to sexually assault patients who were seeking treatment and support.
The former locum GP, who was sentenced to 42 months in prison and was issued a Sexual Harm prevention order for 10 years, was working at the Staunton Surgery, in Civic Centre Road, Havant, at the time of the incidents, which took place between 2019 and 2021.
The tribunal, which took place between May 12 and May 14, heard how during one incident, a patient with cancer attended the surgery to obtain a form about a holiday cancellation in July 2019 but Babu, who was living in Emsworth, locked the door. He then conducted an unnecessary breast examination, before putting his hand down her skirt, while exposing his penis to her, and telling her that she had to touch it because he was helping her.
During the panel General Medical Council representative, Terence Rigby, said: “The seriousness of Dr Babu’s conduct, his convictions in relation to his conduct, his lack of insight and of any remediation, there is manifestly an ongoing risk to all three limbs of public protection. He submitted that this is a clear case where Dr Babu’s fitness to practise is impaired.”
The representative explained that all of Dr Babu’s patients “were entitled to trust their doctor to treat them with dignity and certainly not to assault them”, and that “two of the patients in particular were vulnerable women, and one had a serious medical condition which turned out to be fatal.”
The panel considered Judge James Newton-Price KC’s remarks during the court case where he said: “I form the impression that you chose victims who you judged were more vulnerable or less likely to complain, that you manipulated them to your advantage, and you ignored warnings as to the appropriate way in which to treat female patients.”
The tribunal also disclosed that Babu failed to apologise or show any remorse, concluding that he has no insight into his behaviour and that there is the risk that he may repeat his actions.
“Patients must have confidence in doctors to behave professionally towards them, especially during consultations and where a GP needs to carry out an intimate examination. The Tribunal determined that the need to protect patients would be undermined were it not to make a finding of impairment.”
As a result, the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service has immediately imposed that Babu faces erasure, meaning he is removed from the medical register and will no longer be able to practise medicine.