Pervert South Tyneside GP who kept thousands of images of female patients could be struck off

Dr Thair Altaii used two mobile phones to capture covert images of female patients during consultations and examinations at his surgery in Sunderland.

Altaii, of White Rocks Grove, Whitburn, denied three offences of voyeurism in relation to two women between 2008 and 2014 but was convicted by a jury at Newcastle Crown Court.

Prosecutor Louise Reevell told the court a patient had noticed two mobile phones propped up during an appointment.

His Dell laptop, along with other equipment, was seized.

Miss Reevell added: "The items seized were examined by the police and a forensic investigator.

"They found in excess of 19,000 images of women, some clothed, others were in various states of undress and the images were apparently taken in the surgery environment.

"They also recovered video clips of patients being examined."

Altaii initially denied recording any patients but later gave a prepared statement through his solicitor and accepted recording nine medical consultations without permission.

He said he had made the recordings for self assessment and not sexual gratification.

But jurors took just an hour to reject his explanation.

He was jailed for 14 months in August last year.

The medic now faces disciplinary proceedings by the General Medical Council, which has referred him to the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service

A hearing has been listed for September 3-6 in Manchester.

The service’s website says: “The tribunal will inquire into the allegation that, on 20 July 2018, at Newcastle Crown Court, Dr Altaii was convicted of two counts of observing person A doing a private act, contrary to section 67(1) of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 and one count of observing person B doing a private act, contrary to section 67(1) of the Sexual Offences Act 2003.“It is further alleged that, on 14 August 2018, at Newcastle Crown Court, Dr Altaii was sentenced to 14 months’ concurrent imprisonment and registration on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years.”

The tribunal has a range of powers up to erasing a doctor’s name from the medical register, so they can no longer practise.