A Winchester doctor who was “repeatedly violent” to one female colleague and harassed another has been suspended for nine months.

Dr Arruran Sivakumar, who previously worked at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester, was described as “physically abusive, cruel, controlling and obsessive” during a professional standards hearing which concluded on January 21.

Both of the women involved were also doctors, who Dr Sivakumar believed he had relationships with.

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The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service found he climbed through one woman’s bedroom window between May and August in 2015 and held her hands together while she was lying on the bed.

The same victim, who is referred to as Dr A in the meeting papers, was also left with bruises on her arms after being restrained by Dr Sivakumar, who was further found to have held his arm across her neck during just one of many instances of physical abuse.

Witnesses described him as an “intense” character who would become angry if she spoke with other male friends, calling her obscenities if she did.

When she threatened to expose his behaviour, Dr Sivakumar responded “no-one will believe a silly little girl”.

Dr Sivakumar, who worked as a surgeon at the hospital from October 2020 to April 2021, was also found to have sent unwanted messages to both women.

The tribunal heard how between August 2013 and March 2016 he would repeatedly call or send messages to Dr A and became angry if she did not reply.

Between May and July 2017, Dr Sivakumar admitted to having sent up to 85 Whatsapp messages to Dr B, despite her having asked him on one or more occasions not to contact her.

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Dr Sivakumar acknowledged that his behaviour had impacted on colleagues and friends as well as his victims, he said: “At some point in my life most, if not all of the individuals involved, are people I would have considered to be close friends, and I am sorry to have put them through this.

“My past actions have clearly hurt them and with the benefit of time, maturity and reflection, I realise my behaviour has upset them and for that I am truly sorry.”

But the tribunal said a loss of colleagues’ respect appeared to trouble him more than the impact on his two victims.

Dr Sivakumar, who had previously been given Rising Surgical Star and Junior Doctor Awards for his work, will have his registration suspended from 28 days after he was first told of the ruling, but he can choose to appeal the sanction.

 

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Kimberley Barber