A Pakistani doctor who was jailed for sexually assaulting two patients at his UK practice worked in Ireland for over two decades, it has been revealed.
Muhammad Iqbal (64), with an address in Julianstown, Co Meath, was jailed by Newcastle Crown Court last week for 18 months following his conviction for inappropriately touching the women.
Iqbal was arrested and charged with two counts of sexual assault following the incidents in Darlington and Sunderland in late 2023.
Now, The Irish Times has reported that Iqbal worked for 22 years at St Michael’s House in Ballymun, which provides a range of services and supports to adults and children with disabilities.
It also reported that it understands that the disgraced doctor continued to work in the Dublin clinic throughout the court proceedings in the UK.
Iqbal’s victims were attending physiotherapy sessions at his GP practice when Iqbal touched their chest areas. In one instance, grabbing one woman’s breast, and in the other case, on the pretence that he was checking for lumps.
He denied the charges, but was convicted after a trial and has been placed on the UK’s sex offenders’ register for 10 years.
After the guilty verdict on Friday, 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.
“We hope these women can now begin to rebuild their lives and I’d like to praise their bravery and courage in reporting the offences and helping us to bring Iqbal to justice.”
Sergeant Kimberley Ball, of Northumbria Police, said: “As a force, we just simply won’t tolerate this type of offending and, alongside our partners, we’ll work tirelessly to bring offenders such as Iqbal to justice.
“Iqbal was in a position of trust over these two women, and to choose a time when they were seeking medical assistance to do what he has done to them is something which is truly deplorable.
“I hope both victim-survivors can now move forward with their lives, and I am grateful to their courage to come forward and make a report. I am confident they have made the North East safer now that this man’s crimes have been brought to light,” she concluded
The Irish Medical Council lists Dr Iqbal’s primary qualifications as: