A Myanmar doctor based in the UK has been cleared of sexual assault charges, a year and a half after he was first convicted.
Dr Unt Tun Maung Maung moved to Britain in the late 1990s and worked as a GP at various practices and hospitals across the country. Both of his parents were doctors in Myanmar.
The alleged incident took place in July 2012, when one of Dr Maung’s patients, a teenage girl, made an appointment with him because she was experiencing chest pains. According to her, during the appointment, Dr Maung told her to take off her bra, and proceeded to squeeze her breasts.
Although she reported it to the National Health Service (NHS), the latter did not file a formal complaint with the police until a year later. Dr Maung was suspended from general practice in October 2013.
After standing trial, Dr Maung was found guilty and sentenced to 18 months in prison in April of 2015. His family and friends campaigned for a retrial for the doctor, who was highly regarded in both his professional and personal circles.
Dr Maung spent six months in prison before a judge granted his appeal.
During the retrial, a jury of six men and women found Dr Maung not guilty of sexual assault. Following the new verdict, Dr Maung was quoted as feeling “very relieved.”
Although the retrial gave the doctor good news, he still needs to attend a hearing before the General Medical Council in regards to his license to practice.
