Dentist struck off despite earlier jury acquittal
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- Published: Monday, 25 November 2013 07:38
- Written by News Editor
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Dentist, Mohammed Ashraf from Bradford, is to appeal against his recent erasure by the GDC following a public hearing into dishonest claims made to the NHS. The charges he faced included inappropriate and dishonest claims and witness interference. Last year he had been acquitted by a Bradford Crown Court jury when he stood trial accused of defrauding the NHS of £10,000.
The inappropriate and dishonest claims occurred whilst Mr Ashraf was working at Great Horton Dental Practice in Bradford. The witness interference happened in April 2009 and June 2013. It also found that he had interfered with witnesses when in April 2009 he discussed with one of his patients what he had told NHS Counter Fraud Services investigators.The dentist had been acquitted by a Bradford Crown Court jury last year when he stood trial accused of defrauding the NHS of £10,000. It was alleged he had submitted claims to the NHS for treatments not carried out and had made claims for more complicated work than that done.
After he was acquitted, his solicitor Imran Younis said: “The jury’s verdicts in acquitting him of any wrongdoing are a vindication of his innocence. Dr Ashraf was falsely accused of dishonesty and the jury’s verdicts prove that the case should never have been brought against him. Dr Ashraf has remained in practice throughout this trying time and continues to serve his patients, many of whom provided testimonials and letters of support in the trial.”
Mr Ashraf denies any wrongdoing and will appeal against the decision to remove him from the register, a spokeswoman for his dental practice has said. She claimed that Mr Ashraf admitted “administrative errors” relating to the way the surgery was run but denied these were intentional. The mistakes stemmed from running a surgery without computers but this had now been remedied with new technology. There was “no evidence” to prove Mr Ashraf had interfered with witnesses, she added. “We are very disappointed. How much faith can you put in a legal system after being acquitted and then having that overturned?”
In a different case it was announced that Birmingham dentist, Joyce Trail, who was jailed last year for six years had also been struck off. She was found guilty of a £1.3 million fraud.
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