Derbyshire doctor loses licence after sending sexual messages to 'underage girl'

A Derbyshire doctor has been stripped of his medical licence after sending sexually explicit messages while at work to an undercover officer posing as a 13-year-old girl. Mihir Chandarana, aged 42, of Chesterfield, was “erased” from the medical register following an October hearing, now published, by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service.

Chandarana had worked as a specialist registrar in breast surgery at Glenfield Hospital, Leicester, and had on-call duties at Leicester General Hospital, but will no longer be able to practise medicine. A report compiled following this month’s tribunal hearing details that Chandarana had contacted a girl named “Paris”, aged 13, from London, who was actually a “law enforcement operative”, via the phone apps Kik and Snapchat, from November 4, 2020 to March 26 2021.

He was convicted on November 20, 2023 at Derby Crown Court for intentionally attempting to communicate with a person under 16 who he did not reasonably believe to be 16 or over. This related to communication of a sexual nature, including asking “Paris” “if she touches herself down there when on her own and discussing sexual positions and sexual acts”.

In January, at Chesterfield Magistrates’ Court, Chandarana was given a four-month prison sentence suspended for a year; was required to carry out 25 days of rehabilitation activities; carry out 200 hours of unpaid work to be completed within a year, to be on the sexual offences register for seven years and to be restricted by a sexual harm prevention order – limiting his activities – for five years.

The tribunal report says that on March 17 2021, “the two engaged in general conversation regarding ‘Paris’ being at school”. It reads: “Dr Chandarana stated that ‘Paris’ would be punished if caught. He sent winking emojis and a GIF depicting a female on all fours and her hair being pulled from behind.”

Meanwhile, on March 22, 2021, the report details: “Dr Chandarana asked ‘Paris’ ‘Naughty today.??..’ and then sent ‘Paris’ a GIF of two people massaging, stating ‘Lets do something like this’ , ‘Yea.. am horny as hell’.” The report says the Chesterfield specialist “felt under immense pressure both personally and professionally during the COVID-19 pandemic and found it especially difficult being away from loved ones overseas”.

It says that he communicated with “Paris” while at work on three occasions which “did not represent an isolated error or a single lapse of judgement”. The tribunal report adds: “Dr Chandarana still did not accept that at the time he knew he was engaged in sexual communications with a 13-year-old girl.”

Evidence discussed during the court hearing said Chandarana regularly discussed school with “Paris”, including asking about lessons, the report says. It details: “Dr Chandarana self-reported to the GMC promptly, with full disclosure about the police investigation, and had also pleaded guilty to the charges at the first available opportunity.

“It was clear that he had reflected on his offending behaviour and was deeply ashamed, apologising for his behaviour and appearing to accept he should have behaved differently.” The report adds: “The Tribunal did not find Dr Chandarana’s account credible that he had been unaware that ‘Paris’ was presenting as a 13-year-old schoolgirl at the time of their exchanges.

“Further, the Tribunal noted that by his own account, Dr Chandarana had not drifted into ongoing online messaging with ‘Paris’ by mistake, rather he kept deleting and reloading the app to communicate with her specifically. “The Tribunal was of the view that what Dr Chandarana put forward as personal mitigation did not change the seriousness of what he had done or excuse his lack of judgement.

“The Tribunal accepted that UK doctors were under immense pressure at this time and also accepted that people may turn to sexual entertainment as an outlet, however this did not explain engaging in a course of criminal conduct for sexual gratification with a person under the age of 16 years.” In conclusion, the tribunal said: “Dr Chandarana’s conviction is a particularly serious departure from the standards of GMC and is fundamentally incompatible with being a registered doctor.

“He undermined and breached the trust and confidence of patients, colleagues and the public and engaged in serious criminal conduct. The conviction inevitably brought the profession into disrepute.

“The Tribunal considered that members of the public and the profession would find the behaviour which underlies his conviction deplorable and morally reprehensible. The Tribunal determined the only appropriate and proportionate sanction in this case was one of erasure.

“Erasure is the only sanction which will be sufficient to promote and maintain public confidence in the medical profession and promote and maintain proper professional standards and conduct for members of the profession.”

The University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust was approached for comment but has not responded as of this article’s publication.

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