CANCER DOCTOR CAUGHT WITH OVER A MILLION INDECENT IMAGES OF CHILDREN AND HANDED SUSPENDED JAIL SENTENCE

A top cancer doctor has been convicted of downloading indecent images of children, some as young as four. Consultant urological surgeon Paul Sturch, 41, received a suspended prison sentence and will face a professional disciplinary hearing. The court was told police raided his apartment in Hitch Quay, Wandsworth, after a sting operation where he was caught chatting with an undercover officer about his interest in young girls. When his address was searched, he was seen attempting to destroy a memory stick on which over a million indecent images of children were found, along with a white iPhone. The prosecutor highlighted the disturbing nature of the images and the young ages involved. Sturch's defense argued that his work expertise and previous good conduct should be considered, emphasizing his mental health struggles during the COVID-19 pandemic. Judge Brown sentenced him to six months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, with additional conditions including registration as a sex offender for seven years and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. The judge also noted the presence of children in distress during the incidents and acknowledged the impact on the victims. The court was informed that Sturch's offending was purely online, with no physical contact, and his barrister expressed hope for his eventual return to the medical profession, considering the circumstances and his remorse.