Jailed: Mohammad Siddiqui (CPS)
A former surgeon who performed unnecessary genital circumcision procedures on children has been jailed for more than five and-a-half years.
Mohammad Siddiqui, 58, admitted causing “painful cruelty to children” after running a ‘mobile circumcision’ service across the south of England and the Midlands while a practising doctor.
Inner London Crown Court heard how Siddiqui “ignored” standard hygiene rules to perform the circumcisions on children and even carried on performing the procedures after he had been struck off as a doctor.
Siddiqui pleaded guilty last October to 25 charges, some involving victims under the age of 16.
The court heard how the offences were committed across the south of England, including London.
Jurors heard how he provided a private mobile circumcision service whilst working as a clinical fellow in paediatric surgery at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, which allowed him to procure a prescription-only anaesthetic.
The court heard how he advertised his services, despite being struck off, across the UK, performing the surgery on children up to aged 14 in their homes.
Anja Hohmeyer of the Crown Prosecution Service said: “Siddiqui practised these circumcising acts in an unsafe and unsanitary environment and left children with emotional and physical scars as a result of his actions.
“He showed a complete disregard for the impact of his actions on his victims, families, and communities.”
Siddiqui attempted to frustrate the court process, detectives said, which led to him only being convicted several years after his offending.
Detective Chief Superintendent Fiona Bitters from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary said: “This has been a complex investigation driven by the desire to secure justice for and safeguard children.
“Despite Siddiqui’s endeavours to de-rail proceedings, his pleas mid-trial demonstrates the strength of the case that we had brought to the court with evidence relating to a number of victims having already been presented.
“We share the frustration of the Crown Prosecution Service relating to the delays that Siddiqui caused to the court process that prevented us from presenting our case a number of years ago.”