Former Southampton General Hospital Surgeon jailed for over five years after ignoring basic hygiene during male circumcisions
A former Hampshire surgeon has been jailed for 67 months after running a private mobile circumcision business which ignored basic hygiene rules.
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Dr Mohammad Siddiqui, 58, from Birmingham, was sentenced today (January 15) at Inner London Crown Court after admitting to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, child cruelty and administering a prescription only medicine to several young and vulnerable patients whilst ignoring basic hygiene rules and performing non-therapeutic male circumcisions.
Between June 2012 and November 2013, Siddique utilised his role as clinical fellow in paediatric surgery at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust to gain access to the prescription anaesthetic, Bupivacaine Hydrochloride, which he used for the mobile service. The court heard impact statements from victims and their families with one saying “even now I can remember my son’s voice crying out in pain.”
The victim highlighted how he used “no PPE” and “No sterilised equipment” while only leaving a numbing cream on for two minutes before operating when it should have been 60 minutes. Siddiqui’s actions resulted in the five-week-old baby needing to spend two weeks in hospital and undergo a Lumbar Puncture procedure.
Even after Siddique was struck off from the General Medical Council Register following a tribunal in 2015, due to his conduct while performing mobile circumcisions, he continued to run the service despite no longer being considered a health care professional. This was because non-therapeutic male circumcision is unregulated and you do not need to be a medical practitioner to undertake it.
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Anja Hohmeyer of the Crown Prosecution Service said: “Siddiqui practised these circumcising acts in an unsafe and unsanitary environment and left children with emotional and physical scars as a result of his actions.
“He showed a complete disregard for the impact of his actions on his victims, families, and communities. The delays Dr Siddiqui has caused to disrupt and elongate court proceedings whilst ultimately undertaking his own defence also need to be recognised.
“His actions throughout the court process have caused significant further disruption and distress to his victims and their families, alongside significant additional legal costs due to the length of the delays he has caused. We hope that this conviction offers draws a line for all of those affected and brings some comfort to them in seeing Siddiqui being brought to justice.
“The CPS is committed to working with law enforcement partners to bring criminals to justice who wish to do harm”.
Police staff investigator Damon Kennard from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary said: “This was a highly unusual case for police to become involved in. As ‘Officer in the Case’ for this investigation I was concerned at Dr Siddiqui’s apparent lack of insight and willingness to take action to remediate clinical failings highlighted to him by the General Medical Council that would have ensured the correct procedures were performed.
“He appeared entirely indifferent to the risk and suffering he was subjecting children to and in so doing betrayed the trust parents had placed in him to conduct a safe and sanitary circumcision. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the many Police Forces across the UK who assisted with this investigation and above all the families and victims who remained supportive despite the protracted nature of the prosecution”.
Detective chief superintendent Fiona Bitters from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary said: “This has been a complex investigation driven by the desire to secure justice for and safeguard children. Despite Siddiqui’s endeavours to de-rail proceedings, his pleas mid-trial demonstrate the strength of the case that we had brought to the court with evidence relating to a number of victims having already been presented.
We share the frustration of the Crown Prosecution Service relating to the delays that Siddiqui caused to the court process that prevented us from presenting our case a number of years ago. Our investigation related to Siddiqui’s criminal actions whilst undertaking circumcision procedures and was not concerned with the practice of circumcision itself.
“I hope today’s sentence, which is significant, helps to bring some comfort to his victims and their families who have had to wait many years to see justice served for his actions. The circumstances of this case are unusual and novel. They have raised a number of concerns about non-therapeutic male circumcision, which will need to be addressed as part of the ongoing need to safeguard children. I sincerely hope that today’s sentencing helps to prevent children from coming to harm in this way again”.