A former gynaecologist who "used his position of trust and authority to prey on the victims" has been found guilty of a series of sex assaults on patients during their medical consultations.

Mahash Vidyadhar Patwardhan, 53, from Essex, was convicted at Woolwich Crown Court yesterday (June 23) for offences against four women.

The assaults took place at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich and Blackheath Hospital in Lewisham between 2008 and 2012.

The women were all patients having medical examinations at the hospitals.

Patwardhan used this position of trust and authority as an opportunity to sexually assault them.

He was also convicted of two fraud offences after making false claims to insurance companies for procedures he had not carried out on two of his victims.

Patwardhan was struck off the medical register after a General Medical Council (GMC) panel found charges against him in relation to three of the victims in October 2014.

He worked at Queen Elizabeth Hospital from 2003 until 2013.

He is also a singer and has sung with various bands, and was reportedly signed with Virgin Records for three years.

Patwardhan was a co-founder and singer in a group called "Orchestra of GS youngsters" or ORGY while he was in medical school.

While the hearing was ongoing, an investigation commenced by officers from the sexual offences, exploitation and child abuse command after a victim came forward having heard that he had been suspended.

As a result of publicity about the outcome of the hearing a number of further victims came forward to police.

Patwardhan was arrested on November 20, 2014 at Heathrow Airport as he returned into the UK on a flight from India.

He was charged on September 25 last year with six counts of sexual assault and one count of fraud and was further charged with another linked fraud count on the May 17 this year.

Detective Constable Mark Azariah, from the Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse Command at Lewisham, said: “Patwardhan is a highly manipulative individual.

"Having used his position of trust and authority to prey on the victims under his medical care, believing that they would be too embarrassed to report such offences to police.

"Thankfully he was mistaken and I commend the victims for their courage in speaking out despite the sensitivity surrounding their personal medical concerns.

"I hope that today's result and the fact he is no longer a practising doctor brings them some comfort and peace of mind in what has been a traumatic ordeal.

"It is hoped that this result will reassure other vulnerable victims of crime that the police take all allegations of crime very seriously and will work effortlessly to see that justice prevails."

He will be sentenced on the July 26 at Woolwich Crown Court.

He was found not guilty on two counts of sexual assault against two further women.