Sussex paedophile doctor Sivaguru Narendran jailed for historical sex abuse

A hospital doctor who indecently assaulted teenage boys he met at work has been jailed for 12 years.

Sivaguru Narendran, 78, of Hailsham, was convicted at Lewes Crown Court of 14 sex attacks in the 1980s and 1990s.

All his victims came into contact with him while he was working at The Horder Centre, Crowborough, and Eastbourne District General Hospital, Sussex.

Horder Healthcare, which runs the Horder Centre, and the NHS both said safeguarding procedures were in place.

Narendran was also given a lifetime sexual harm prevention order during sentencing earlier.

He was found guilty by a jury on Thursday.

Det Con Tina Baptista said the former medic, who is also known as Dr John Narendran and who lived in Sackville Road, preyed on vulnerable young men after gaining their confidence.

She said: "These men have bravely come forward to report the abuse they had suffered at the hands of a man who they should have been able to trust."

A spokesman for East Sussex Healthcare NHS said their thoughts were with the victims and their families.

He said Dr Narendran had worked as a locum doctor at Eastbourne hospital.

"Checks on locum doctors are now significantly tighter and far more rigorous with robust safeguarding processes in place," he added.

A spokesman for Horder Healthcare said Narendran's conduct was "professionally and morally abhorrent".

He said: "The Horder Healthcare of today is unrecognisable from the organisation that Mr Narendran worked for in the 1990s.

"We have implemented additional safeguards to ensure the wellbeing of our patients and there are multiple mechanisms in place to raise concerns, either as an employee or a patient.

"We take any complaint extremely seriously. The safety and care of our patients is of the highest priority."