A doctor who slapped and throttled his wife has been banned from practising.

Dr Muhammad Saqib Saeed received a suspended prison sentence in July 2018 after subjecting his wife, known as Mrs A, to assault, controlling behaviour and accusations she had slept with members of her own family.

The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service initially suspended Saeed, described by them as a Maidstone doctor, from practising for 12 months at a hearing last year, saying his offending was "persistent, multi-faceted, and repeated over a period of nine months."

However the General Medical Council (GMC) decided to appeal the decision, arguing that the sanction imposed was not sufficient for the protection of the public.

A fresh tribunal has now ordered his permanent erasure from the register of medical practitioners.

Dr Saeed was invited to attend the hearing last month, but although he confirmed receipt of emails regarding the proceedings he stated that he would "not be attending remotely."

In the published notice of the tribunal ruling, it states the doctor "had failed completely to engage with this tribunal hearing even though it was making a decision that would have a significant impact upon his career."

"Plainly this must have been a particularly traumatic and very upsetting incident for her..."

The report of the hearing concluded that striking Saeed permanently from the register "was appropriate and would sufficiently protect the public, maintain public confidence in the profession and uphold proper professional standards for members of the profession."

At his trial at Maidstone Crown Court, Judge David Griffith-Jones said: "You ruled the roost and were demanding of her obedience.

"You were abusive and threatening towards her when, occasionally, she displayed signs which you interpreted as a challenge to your authority, your supremacy in the relationship.

"You were jealous and irrational in your criticisms of aspects of her past and the way she now conducted herself."

Saeed was said to have placed recording devices out to monitor his wife, and would accuse her of sleeping with other men, including some in her own family.

The neurology doctor's trial heard he "lost all-self control" and slapped and throttled his wife in August 2017 after she shared a video of their baby to friends and family.

The attack only ended when his victim locked herself to a bedroom and called police.

Judge Griffith-Jones said: "Fortunately, her injuries were limited to bruising around her neck but plainly this must have been a particularly traumatic and very upsetting incident for her."

The trial heard Saeed felt "no real remorse" for the torrent of abuse. He was given a 22-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

Saeed, whose age is not known, was not present at either the first tribunal or at the latest hearing, having returned to Pakistan, where he gained his Primary Medical Qualification in 2005.

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