Sex pest doctor allowed to keep job ‘in public interest’

A DOCTOR who repeatedly sent explicit photographs to fellow medical students has escaped being struck off despite being found guilty of serious misconduct after a disciplinary panel decided throwing him out of the profession would be “disproportionate”.

Dr James White was suspended for a year after the panel heard that he bombarded six women with “disgusting” photos, videos and messages, including one that read: “Would you like to see me erupt?” One of the women – now a qualified doctor – said his behaviour, which took place over four years, had left her feeling “violated” while another voiced fears about what he might do in the presence of a sedated patient.

Dr White himself told his professional regulator to strip him of his title, saying he would never practise medicine again. However, the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service hearing concluded: “There is a public interest in facilitating the safe return to work of an otherwise competent doctor.”

The tribunal was told Dr White qualified from the University of East Anglia in 2015. Over the next four years he sent scores of messages to six women who had been at medical school with him before two of his victims reported him to the General Medical Council.

“Both alleged that Dr White had sent unsolicited pictures and videos which were sexually explicit and unwanted,” the hearing was told. These included videos of him masturbating as well as photos of his genitals.

One of his victims said that in February 2019 Dr White sent her a message which stated “Do you want to see me erupt?” After his second victim ignored an explicit video he sent her, he messaged her to say “I didn’t realise you were a lesbian”, the tribunal was told.

However, in ruling what sanction to impose, the panel decided not to strike off Dr White after hearing that his sexual misconduct was not of the most serious kind. It imposed a 12-month suspension, instead.

“There is a public interest in facilitating the safe return to work of an otherwise competent doctor, so complete removal of Dr White’s name from the medical register would not be proportionate,” it said.