Surgeon spared jail over indecent images
ASURGEON who lives in Macclesfield has been sentenced for downloading, making and viewing thousands of indecent images of children.
Cristian Bogdan, 42, a cardiothoracic surgeon at the Royal Stoke Hospital, was sentenced to a 12 month jail term, suspended for two years.
A cardiothoracic surgeon specialises in surgery of organs within the chest.
He must also undergo 35 hours of rehabilitation and do 150 hours of unpaid work in the community.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) built up a strong case against Bogdan, who is married and used to live in Congleton but now resides in Macclesfield, leaving him with no option but to plead guilty.
He has been excluded from Royal Stoke and is subject to a General Medical Council suspension.
The CPS authorised the charges based on a total of 13,096 still pictures and two videos depicting child sexual abuse.
Computers at his home also contained 9,742 child sex abuse cartoons.
He was charged with three counts of making indecent images of children, one count of possessing indecent photographs of children and one count of possessing prohibited images of children.
He pleaded guilty to all charges at a pre-trial preparation hearing (PTPH) at Chester Crown Court in April.
Bogdan was arrested on December 1 2017 at his home by officers from Cheshire police’s paedophile and cyber investigation team. In a search of his home, officers found several devices storing thousands of indecent images of children.
Further investigation proved that he had actively searched for the images.
Initially Bogdan made no comment but on January 9 this year he went to Macclesfield Police Station with a prepared statement admitting downloading, viewing and searching for indecent images of children.
The court also imposed a detailed Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years which states that Bogdan must not acquire a computer unless he tells the police first and gives them the make and serial number.
The device must also have the capacity to retain the history of internet use and Bogdan must not try and wipe that history.
This also applies if he uses a computer at work or elsewhere.
The court also ordered that the computers and devices owned by Bogdan be seized and destroyed.
Damion Lloyd of Mersey-Cheshire Crown Prosecution Services aid: “At work Bogdan held down a difficult and respected job.
“At home he was searching for and downloading thousands of images of children being sexually abused.
“In interview he tried to downplay the amount of images he had, claiming he had downloaded them in bulk and deleted most of them, but it was clear that he was continually actively seeking out these images of abuse.
“He had no previous convictions and had a responsible job yet he risked all of that in the pursuit of these crimes.
“Sexual abuse has a dreadful impact on victims and the sexual abuse of children can affect them for the rest of their lives.
“To view the images of this abuse and to make such images is a crime and the Crown Prosecution Service, working with the police, will do all we can to bring the perpetrators to justice.”
Now hospital bosses are reassuring patients that Bogdan’s job did not bring him into contact with children. They are urging anyone who may have concerns to get in touch.
Dr John Oxtoby, Royal Stoke’s medical director, said: “We took immediate action as soon as Cheshire police made us aware of serious concerns with Mr Bogdan.
“Mr Bogdan is currently excluded from the trust and is subject to a GMC suspension and on-going proceedings.
“Mr Bogdan was a surgeon whose work involved the care of adults and had no contact with children.
“The trust would like to emphasise that there are no reasons for patients to be concerned.
“However, if patients want to raise a concern they should contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Team.”
An NSPCC spokesman said: “By viewing and downloading these horrific images and videos, Bogdan is fuelling an industry where children are abused to order.
“The effects of this abuse can destroy childhoods and last a lifetime.
“The internet is used as a gateway to child abuse far too frequently.
“The NSPCC is campaigning for providers to take greater responsibility for what’s shared on their platforms and cut off this vile material at source.”