Father-of-two Imaran Qureshi, 44, from Manchester, said the 21-year-old woman was ‘sexually available’ because she had previous boyfriends
A married Pakistani doctor molested a Muslim student nurse then blamed it on ‘different cultural norms’ in the UK.
Father-of-two Imaran Qureshi, 44, from Manchester, said the 21-year-old woman was ‘sexually available’ because she had previous boyfriends.
He grabbed her breast and told her he wanted an affair after he forced himself on her as they worked together at a hospital.
Qureshi later admitted he made a ‘misjudgement’ – blaming his behaviour on ‘cultural norms being different’ in the UK and Pakistan.
But the nurse known only as Miss A, was said to be ‘shaken up and distraught’ after reporting how locum senior house officer Qureshi grabbed her chest before trying to ‘make light’ of it and then becoming aggressive.
He was said to have told Miss A he was unhappy in his marriage and was hoping for a romance with her. Unbeknown to the doctor, Miss A was secretly recording the conversation on her mobile phone.
The alleged encounter took place at Trafford General Hospital in Davyhulme, Greater Manchester, on June 3 2015 when the 21-year-old Muslim student said Qureshi seemed ‘excited to see her and well within her personal space’.
The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service in Manchester was told at around 3pm, she asked the doctor to retrieve some patient notes to which he replied ‘I don’t want to get it yet, u want to spend some time with you’.
Counsel for the General Medical Council, Rebecca Vanstone, added: ‘He told Miss A she was beautiful and asked whether she had a boyfriend.
‘He then said he was not happy in his marriage and wanted an affair.
‘Shortly afterwards Miss A was in the ward kitchen when he entered the room and closed the door behind him. He asked whether she had a thyroid problem before feeling her neck.
‘She was backed into the corner when the registrant touched her chest at the top where her breasts start. She said he put his fingers there for a few seconds before she pushed them away.
‘Miss A says she held her hand up to signal for him to move away and told him he was a disgrace. He asked for a hug and she refused but he did it anyway.
‘Then he grabbed her right breast for a few seconds. Miss A said he was laughing and trying to make light if the situation and then became aggressive and said that friends do what he was trying to do.’
He grabbed her breast and told her he wanted an affair after he forced himself on her as they worked together at a hospital
‘Miss A reported the incident about an hour later to a friend who told her to inform her mentor and she did so. The mentor describes the account given to her and said she appeared to be nervous, shaken up and distraught.
‘The registrant went to the police station voluntarily. He admitted he touched her neck when they discussed whether she had a thyroid problem and he touched her chest when they were discussing talking from the heart.
‘He was charged and self referred to the GMC. He pleaded not guilty in respect of the criminal proceedings but was convicted last year by a jury after trial.’
In June last year Qureshi was sentenced at Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court to a 12-month community order with 20 days rehabilitation activity requirement after he was convicted by a jury of sexual assault.
He was also ordered to sign the Sex Offender Register for five years and pay court costs of £750. He was later refused leave to appeal his conviction by the Court of Appeal and is currently suspended from practising.
Miss A provided the tribunal with a victim personal statement where she told of the effect the incident had on her.
Qureshi later admitted he made a ‘misjudgement’ – blaming his behaviour on ‘cultural norms being different’ in the UK and Pakistan
Miss Vanstone said: ‘Miss A says she was prescribed sleeping tablets because she was struggling to sleep and since she had been wary of male doctors.
‘She took three weeks off work which could delay her qualification. She feels that the incident impacted her reputation, she is a young unmarried Muslim woman.
‘His conduct in my submission was a breach of professional boundaries given that the complainant was a student nurse and was 21 years old. Dr Qureshi’s conviction for sexual assault amounts to serious misconduct.
‘There is evidence before you to show Dr Qureshi has failed to accept his conviction or show insight sufficient to satisfy the committee that there is no risk of repetition.
‘Dr Qureshi continued to deny the offence, committing the offence or having any sexual motivation and he showed no remorse.
‘He did say that he saw Miss A being sexually available because she had previous boyfriends. He described the incident being a misjudgement by him and says the culture norms are different in the UK from Pakistan where he’s from.
‘He mistakenly formed the impression Miss A was romantically interested in him. That fails to explain why he behaved in the way that he did. It seeks to diminish his actions and pass it off as an error of judgement.
‘He acknowledges and accepts that the conversation beforehand was wholly inappropriate and wrong.
‘Sexual misconduct is difficult to remediate and the committee may feel the information before it in regards to the steps taken are limited.
‘He has completed a course on maintaining professional boundaries and done the work by the probation service. There’s little else to show how he could have addressed his behaviour.
‘Despite the apologies the registrant has offered in his witness statement he still fails to accept his conduct was a sexual assault.
‘The very nature of the offence is that there was touching, that the touching was sexual, that the complainant didn’t consent and the individual didn’t reasonable believe that the complainant consented.’
Qureshi attempted to appeal on two occasions where permission was refused. He admits the allegations put to him on behalf of the GMC but is battling to avoid being struck off.
The hearing continues.