Former Birmingham surgeon sentenced for harming boys during ‘unsafe and unhealthy’ circumcisions

A former surgeon who was struck off the UK medical register in 2015 while working at Southampton General Hospital was found guilty on Tuesday of causing actual bodily harm, cruelty to children and administering prescription drugs to scores of young and vulnerable patients, ignoring basic hygiene. Setting rules for circumcision at home and ignoring the health, safety and comfort of patients.

Dr., 56, from Birmingham. Mohammad Siddiqui admitted a total of 25 offenses at Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday; These included 12 counts of actual bodily harm, five counts of cruelty to children and eight counts of using prescription drugs without prescription. to the law.

Siddiqui was running a private mobile circumcision service between June 2012 and November 2013.

He was working as a clinical researcher in pediatric surgery at Southampton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and was able to source the anesthetic Bupivacaine Hydrochloride within his capacity.

He traveled around the UK as part of his private circumcision service, performing non-therapeutic circumcisions on young male patients up to the age of 14 by appointment.

Anja Hohmeyer, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Siddiqui carried out these acts of circumcision in an unsafe and unhealthy environment, thus inflicting painful cruelty on the children and leaving them with emotional and physical scars.

“He completely disregarded the impact of his actions on his victims, their families and their communities. We hope this conviction will provide some comfort in bringing Siddiqui to justice.”

In 2015, Siddiqui was struck off the General Medical Council Register after a Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service panel found him guilty of failing to perform non-therapeutic male circumcisions at the home of four babies.

After his dismissal, Siddiqui continued to carry out his mobile circumcision service. He was able to do this because non-therapeutic male circumcision is against the rules and does not have to be performed by a medical doctor.

However, Siddiqui continued to use Bupivacaine in unsafe conditions and disregarded the safety of his young patients by continuing to perform circumcisions in unsafe, unhealthy and harmful ways.

On Tuesday, he pleaded guilty to performing a series of unsafe and unhygienic procedures and causing unnecessary pain and suffering.

Detective Superintendent Fiona Bitters, of Hampshire and Isle of White Constabulary, said: “This is a complex investigation driven by a desire to achieve justice and protect children. Siddiqui’s plea at this stage of his trial demonstrates the strength of the case.” We had already submitted it to the court along with some victim-related evidence presented.

“Our investigation was about the crimes Siddiqui committed while performing the circumcision procedures and was not about the circumcision itself.

“I hope his plea today will help provide some comfort to his victims who have had to wait many years to see justice served for their actions.”