Sex case GP's jail term increased

Syed Amjad Husain used a secret camera to film his patients

A GP from Darlington, jailed for sexually abusing his patients, has had his sentence increased from three and a half to four and a half years.

Dr Syed Amjad Husain pleaded guilty to a string of offences against female patients aged between four and 74, during his trial at Leeds Crown Court.

The 30-year-old used a secret camera to film them as they were being examined.

But in a hearing at London's Criminal Appeal Court the sentence was described as "unduly lenient" and increased.

Lord Justice Richards told the hearing on Monday that he thought Husain, who has been put on the sex offenders' register for life, had broken a "grave breach of trust" and deserved a tougher sentence.

But the defendant's QC disagreed and said the original sentence was "merciful" and not unduly lenient.

Indecent Image

He also said Husain was shy and introverted and had become concerned about his parents' failure to arrange a marriage for him.

Husain, of Lazenby Avenue, Darlington, admitted using a secret camera with the lens hidden inside a box of tissues during the original case at Leeds Crown Court in May.

He pleaded guilty to five offences of indecent assault, eight of possessing an indecent image of a child and 10 of making indecent photographs of a child.

During the original trial, Jamie Hill, for the prosecution, said Husain's activities were uncovered by a 32-year-old woman who visited the surgery complaining of abdominal pain.

Mr Hill said: "When she raised her head to see what was happening, she saw a tissue box with a hole, inside was a camera lens. It was positioned on the examination table between her legs."