Eight years jail for doctor who sexually abused girl patient, 13

A doctor was jailed for eight years today after sexually assaulting a 13-year-old patient at a hospital.

Rashid Sandhu, 30, of Welling, Kent, was sentenced at Norwich Crown Court after being convicted following a trial last month.

Prosecutors said Sandhu, who worked at the James Paget Hospital in Gorleston, Norfolk, used the girl to recreate a pornographic image he had seen on a computer.

Detectives later found more than 100 images of child pornography on Sandhu's laptop.

Sandhu was a registrar at the hospital's accident and emergency department when he assaulted the girl nearly a year ago, jurors heard.

John Donnolly, defending, said Sandhu - who is married with a young child - had been an "exceptional student".

"This man had a true vocation from an early age," he said.

"It's a tragedy. He is from an especially hard-working military family in Pakistan and was an exceptional student.

"Among his peer group, he was top of the class."

Mr Donnolly said it was "almost inevitable" that Sandhu's medical career was now over.

Judge Simon Barham said: "The offence amounts to the gravest abuse of trust owed by you as a doctor to a patient."

On top of his prison sentence, Sandhu was also banned indefinitely from working with children.

After the hearing, Detective Inspector Matt Sharman of Norfolk police said: "This case shows that it doesn't matter if you're a doctor or a dustman - if you decide you are going to abuse children, you will be dealt with."