A GP who sexually assaulted two women during examinations after they had been in road crashes has been jailed, police have said.
Muhammad Iqbal (64) of Julianstown, Co Meath, was charged in relation to incidents in Darlington and Sunderland in 2023.
His victims were attending physiotherapy sessions arranged by their insurers following road crashes and were seen by Iqbal.
In the first incident, he grabbed the woman’s breast, while in the second he pretended he needed to examine her breast, saying he was checking for lumps, although that was not the reason for the examination.
Durham Constabulary said Iqbal was jailed for 18 months at Newcastle Crown Court on Friday and was placed on the sex offender register for 10 years.
He had denied the offences but was convicted following a trial, the force said.
Outside court, Detective Constable Charlotte Naisby, of Durham Constabulary’s complex safeguarding team, said: “Iqbal preyed on these women during a very vulnerable period in their lives and his behaviour was despicable.
“The women should have felt safe being examined by a certified GP, but instead Iqbal not only assaulted them but breached their trust in the most horrendous way and we are glad to see he is now behind bars.”
Sergeant Kimberley Ball, of Northumbria Police, praised the women for speaking out, saying: “I am confident they have made the northeast safer now that this man’s crimes have been brought to light.” – PA
