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A sixty-four-year-old general practitioner based in Julianstown, County Meath, has been sentenced to eighteen months imprisonment at Newcastle Crown Court after being found guilty of sexually assaulting two female patients during medical examinations. Muhammad Iqbal carried out the offences while conducting assessments on women who had been referred for clinical evaluations following separate road traffic accidents. Alongside the custodial term handed down on Friday, 14 August 2026, the court ordered that Iqbal remain on the sex offender register for ten years.
The criminal proceedings stemmed from two distinct incidents that occurred in late 2023 across medical facilities in Darlington and Sunderland. Both victims had been directed to attend appointments arranged through their respective insurance providers following road traffic collisions to evaluate physical injuries and determine rehabilitation requirements.
Daily Dazzling Dawn understands that during the initial consultation in Darlington, Iqbal grabbed the first victim's breast during what was ostensibly a routine post-collision assessment. In the second incident in Sunderland, Iqbal subjected another woman to an inappropriate physical examination under the false pretence of checking for breast tissue abnormalities, a procedure entirely unrelated to the injuries sustained in the motor collision.
Both women promptly reported the misconduct to law enforcement authorities after leaving the consultation rooms. Durham Constabulary and Northumbria Police subsequently launched coordinated investigations into Iqbal’s conduct across both jurisdictions.
Following formal charges of sexual assault, Iqbal entered not guilty pleas, prompting a full criminal trial at Newcastle Crown Court. Jurors rejected the defendant's denials after hearing evidence regarding the nature of the consultations and the clinical impropriety of the physical contact.
The court concluded that Iqbal had exploited the clinical setting to commit the offences against individuals seeking legitimate healthcare support. The trial culminated in unanimous guilty verdicts on two counts of sexual assault, leading directly to the custodial sentence imposed by the presiding judge.
Following the sentencing hearing, safeguarding detectives praised the composure and fortitude shown by both victims throughout the investigative and judicial process. Speaking to Daily Dazzling Dawn, senior investigating officers highlighted the severity of abuses committed under the guise of professional medical authority.
Detective Constable Charlotte Naisby, of Durham Constabulary’s Complex Safeguarding Team, confirmed that Iqbal deliberately targeted the women during a period when they were dealing with the physical and psychological aftermath of road collisions. The constabulary noted that patients attend medical consultations under an assumption of safety and clinical integrity, which the defendant fundamentally violated.
Sergeant Kimberley Ball, representing Northumbria Police, reiterated that law enforcement agencies across the North East maintain robust protocols to investigate predatory conduct within professional settings. Safeguarding officials have reaffirmed that support pathways remain open for anyone who may have experienced similar misconduct during clinical examinations.
