A judge continued to refer to Rakesh Kumar Chawdhry as “Dr Chawdhry” at his latest sentencing because even after 13 indecency convictions he has still not been struck off. Christchurch District Court Judge Jane Farish said no disciplinary action had yet been taken against the 63-year-old. He had not been been formally struck off as a registered medical practitioner, though his registration appears to be no longer current. “You are still entitled to be called by that qualification,” she said as she sentenced him on two further indecent assault charges, which he admitted in August. Judge Farish added two months to the sentence Chawdhry received at his sentencing in February after he was convicted of indecent assaults and one sexual violation relating to 10 male complainants. He was convicted of 11 charges and jailed for more than four years. The publicity about the trial and the sentencing prompted two further men to come forward and make complaints. These involved men aged 26 and 28 who were seen by Chawdhry at the Amberley Medical Centre in 2011 and the Riccarton Clinic in 2013. The offending involved Chawdhry touching them in a sexualised way during sexually transmitted infection checks.
