Victims of pervert Sunderland GP who took thousands of images of unknowing patients seek compensation

Dr Thair Altaii used two mobile phones to capture covert images of female patients during consultations and examinations at his surgery in Sunderland.

Altaii, of White Rocks Grove, Whitburn, denied three offences of voyeurism in relation to two women between 2008 and 2014 but he was convicted by a jury at Newcastle Crown Court in July last year.

He said he had made the recordings for self assessment and not sexual gratification. A jury took just one hour to reject his explanation.

In August last year, he was jailed for 14 months for his crimes.

Now victims of Altaii, who had more than 19,000 images of women on his laptop, are pursuing claims for damages through law firm Ben Hoare Bell LLP.

Dr Altaii was suspended from practising when charges were brought and now faces disciplinary proceedings by the General Medical Council, which has referred him to the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service.

One client of Ben Hoare Bell LLP has said: “This incident has had a huge impact upon my life. I had put all my faith my GP.

“You are always told that anything you say in a consultation with your Doctor remains in there.

“For me to place so much trust in someone like my GP and for him to have exploited this has really impacted my ability to trust people again. I have suffered significant mental distress as a result of the actions of Dr Thair Altaii.”

Sunderland Solicitor Andrew Freckleton, who has been instructed by a number Altaii’s victims, said: “Our clients placed significant levels of trust in Dr Altaii and he used his position of trust to exploit his patients in one of the worst ways possible.

“His actions continue to have a long-standing impact upon his victims.

“We note Dr Altaii now faces misconduct proceedings with the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service.

A hearing has been listed for September 3-6 in Manchester.