Former surgeon jailed for more than 5 and-a-half years after admitting offences including assault occasioning actual bodily harm and child cruelty during multiple male circumcision operations

Issued jointly with the Crown Prosecution Service.

Following a long-running investigation led by Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary, a former surgeon has been jailed for a combined total of more than five and-a-half years (67 months) today (Wednesday 15 January) at Inner London Crown Court having admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm, child cruelty and administering a prescription only medicine to several young and vulnerable patients whilst ignoring basic hygiene rules and performing non-therapeutic male circumcisions.

Dr Mohammad Siddiqui, 58, from Birmingham pleaded guilty at Southwark Crown Court on 29 October 2024 to a total of 25 offences which included, 11 counts of actual bodily harm, 6 counts of cruelty to a child and 8 counts of administering prescription only medicines contrary to the law. The prosecution was brought because of the methods Siddiqui used which showed a complete disregard to patient health, safety and comfort in private residences between 2014 and 2018.

Between June 2012 and November 2013, Dr Siddiqui provided a private mobile circumcision service whilst working as clinical fellow in paediatric surgery at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust. In this capacity he was able to source the anaesthetic Bupivacaine Hydrochloride which is a prescription only medication.

In 2015 Siddiqui was ‘struck off’ the General Medical Council Register after a panel of the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service found him guilty of failures in performing non-therapeutic male circumcisions in the homes of four babies.

Despite having been ‘struck off’, Dr Siddiqui continued to promote and provide a mobile circumcision service. No longer being considered a ‘Health Care Professional’ he was able to do so because non-therapeutic male circumcision is unregulated with no requirement to be carried out by a medical practitioner. Dr Siddiqui continued to use Bupivacaine Hydrochloride and carry out circumcisions in unsafe, unsanitary and harmful ways. He advertised his services across the United Kingdom and by appointment performed non-therapeutic male circumcisions on young patients up to the age of 14 in their homes.

During his sentencing the court heard victim impact statements from the families of a number of children. These included the following:

• “Mr Siddiqui came to my home with no PPE, no sterilised equipment and not even the items for basic hygiene, and using a numbness cream, which should have been left on for sixty minutes but only left on for two minutes, Mr Siddiqui carried out a surgical procedure on my son. Even now I can remember my son's voice crying out in pain. He was only five weeks old. Due to Mr Siddiqui's actions my son had to spend two weeks in hospital and even had to go through a Lumbar Puncture procedure. We didn't know if he was going to be Ok or not”.
• “Mr Siddiqui was a former Doctor, a trained professional who understands medicine and understands pain and suffering. He knew what he was doing was wrong and was aware of the risks involved in it. He has shown no remorse nor has he apologised for his actions. Mr Siddiqui should have known better”.
• “There can be an inbuilt deference towards those perceived as possessing high social status, such as doctors. All of this leads to a power imbalance that has enabled Siddiqui to act so brazenly and without regard for the people he is there to serve”.
• “I have come to understand the practice of non-therapeutic circumcision is completely unregulated when conducted by unregistered medical practitioners, meaning a person without any medical training can advertise and perform such procedures. This state of affairs seems utterly absurd and risks endangering children’s health. The fact Siddiqui could carry on with such impunity and affect so many innocent lives is surely all the evidence that is needed to ensure this gap in legislation is addressed”.

Anja Hohmeyer of the Crown Prosecution Service said: “Siddiqui practised these circumcising acts in an unsafe and unsanitary environment and left children with emotional and physical scars as a result of his actions.

“He showed a complete disregard for the impact of his actions on his victims, families, and communities. The delays Dr Siddiqui has caused to disrupt and elongate court proceedings whilst ultimately undertaking his own defence also need to be recognised.

“His actions throughout the court process have caused significant further disruption and distress to his victims and their families, alongside significant additional legal costs due to the length of the delays he has caused. We hope that this conviction offers draws a line for all of those affected and brings some comfort to them in seeing Siddiqui being brought to justice.

“The CPS is committed to working with law enforcement partners to bring criminals to justice who wish to do harm”.

Police Staff Investigator Damon Kennard from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary said: “This was a highly unusual case for police to become involved in. As ‘Officer in the Case’ for this investigation I was concerned at Dr Siddiqui’s apparent lack of insight and willingness to take action to remediate clinical failings highlighted to him by the General Medical Council that would have ensured the correct procedures were performed. He appeared entirely indifferent to the risk and suffering he was subjecting children to and in so doing betrayed the trust parents had placed in him to conduct a safe and sanitary circumcision. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the many Police Forces across the UK who assisted with this investigation and above all the families and victims who remained supportive despite the protracted nature of the prosecution”.

Detective Chief Superintendent Fiona Bitters from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary said: “This has been a complex investigation driven by the desire to secure justice for and safeguard children. Despite Siddiqui’s endeavours to de-rail proceedings, his pleas mid-trial demonstrate the strength of the case that we had brought to the court with evidence relating to a number of victims having already been presented. We share the frustration of the Crown Prosecution Service relating to the delays that Siddiqui caused to the court process that prevented us from presenting our case a number of years ago.

“Our investigation related to Siddiqui’s criminal actions whilst undertaking circumcision procedures and was not concerned with the practice of circumcision itself.

“I hope today’s sentence, which is significant, helps to bring some comfort to his victims and their families who have had to wait many years to see justice served for his actions. The circumstances of this case are unusual and novel. They have raised a number of concerns about non-therapeutic male circumcision, which will need to be addressed as part of the ongoing need to safeguard children. I sincerely hope that today’s sentencing helps to prevent children from coming to harm in this way again”.