He failed to declare charge 22 years ago

A SPECSAVERS eye doctor has been suspended over a drunken street streak – 22 years ago.

Optometrist Jagdip Dhariwal got a criminal record for inde- cent exposure in 1998 after he and pals stripped for a dare.

He had been drinking at a party with university friends but following the naked act was arrested and later fined £100 by Southampton magistrates.

He told a tribunal in London that he bared all after toasting a pal’s engagement. He said:

“Everyone was in very high spirits. By midnight three of us were quite drunk and were being encouraged by the others to streak into the cold.

“It was a foolish dare but being silly we stood outside, briefly, without any clothes on.

There were a few students milling around and a police vehicle pulled up as they raised their voices to cheer us on.” Now 50, Dhariwal was taken to the tribunal after failing to tell the General Optical Council about the conviction. He said:

“At the material time I was not aware it was considered criminal behaviour or that it would mean I had a criminal record.

“In my mind it was a student prank for I had simply been fined and did not attach any ‘conviction’ to the matter.’’

However, the locum at Specsavers in Romsey, Hants, was suspended for six months.

In 2006 the GOC began asking optometrists to declare convictions. He always ticked “no”. But in 2015 the body received a tip -off. The tribunal ruled it had been “active dishonesty”.