AC-2025-CDF-000062 - [2025] EWHC 2619 (Admin)

I turn to the facts. The appellant graduated in medicine in Lahore, Pakistan in 2017. From January to August 2019, he worked as a Government Medical Officer in Punjab. In August 2019, he came to the United Kingdom and began work as a Trust Grade Foundation Year 2 doctor at a hospital in Grimsby. After completing his ordinary training in Carmarthen, he was due to start higher training in Gastroenterology when, on 22 December 2023, he was charged with controlling or coercive behaviour. The material allegations which underlay the charge were expressed as follows in the papers before the Crown Court:

“i)

On a day between 30th day of April 2021 and the 1st day of June 2021, during an argument, [the appellant] kicked [his wife] to her back with his right foot despite being aware that she was pregnant, causing her to fall to the floor on her stomach.

ii)

On a day between the 30th day of September 2021 and the 1st day of November 2021, following an ante-natal scan at Glangwili Hospital, he became angry and aggressive and punched her twice to her back and then punched her to the area where an injection had just been administered.

iii)

On a day between the 31st day of October 2021 and the 1st day of December 2021, following a verbal argument regarding relatives he assaulted her by pushing her to the floor and dragging her into the living room and then ordered her to leave the address so that he could cool down.

iv)

On the 23rd day of December 2021, whilst sitting in a parked car at Glangwili Hospital, he assaulted her by grabbing her hair and hitting her head against the inside of a car window.

v)

On the 25th day of December 2021, whilst in a car at Glangwili Hospital, he assaulted her by pulling her hair and then hitting her head against the car window.

vi)

On a day between 30th day of September 2022 and the 1st day of November 2022, whilst staying in the Premier Inn, Manchester, with the children, he assaulted her by punching her to the face on her eye. He also assaulted her by hitting her with a belt, causing her to have to leave the hotel room with the children.

vii)

On the 23rd day of June 2023, he assaulted her by slapping her to the face four times, after she failed to take a photograph for his visa to his satisfaction. He also kicked her to her back with his right foot.

viii)

On the 26th day of June 2023, he went to strike her. When she threatened to call the police, he became even more angry and he assaulted her by grabbing her to her throat, pushing her against the wall and slapping her to the right side of her face.”

On 28 December 2023, the appellant made a self-referral to the GMC in relation to the charge. Following a trial at Swansea Crown Court in July 2024, he was found guilty by the jury. On 3 September 2024, he was sentenced by HHJ Catherine Richards to 22 months’ imprisonment suspended for a period of 18 months. The judge imposed a rehabilitation activity requirement of 20 days together with 250 hours of unpaid work. She made a restraining order prohibiting the appellant from contacting his wife for a period of two years.

The judge sentenced the appellant on the basis of the eight allegations that I have set out above (erroneously described as seven allegations in her sentencing remarks). She found that the seriousness of the offence was aggravated by two important factors. First, on some occasions the appellant’s children were present when he was abusing his wife. Secondly, he had put pressure on his wife not to seek help by suggesting that the children would be taken from her if she did so. These factors cast light on the seriousness of the appellant’s conduct.