Dr Charles Gordon Bartlett - convicted paedophile

16,000 images were recovered from his computer

CHILDREN’S charities reacted with alarm last night to the news a paedophile doctor could soon be cleared to work with kids again.

Dad-of-two Dr Charles Gordon Bartlett, 53, a convicted paedophile, will have his position reviewed by the General Medical Council in the new year.

Two years ago the consultant radiologist, who worked at the West Wales General Hospital in Glangwili, Carmarthenshire, was banned from treating under 18s because of a conviction for possessing indecent photographs of children.

They included hardcore pictures of youngsters as young as five being abused by adults.

In all, 16,000 images were recovered from his computer and from CDs at his then family home in Ferryside, Llanelli, after police were tipped off by the FBI in a worldwide paedophile clampdown called Operation Ore. His credit card numbers had been found listed on a US website.

16,000 images were recovered from his computer

In April 2003 he admitted 17 charges of making and possessing indecent photos and was given a three-year rehabilitation order.

In April 2004 the GMC suspended Dr Bartlett, who worked at West Wales General Hospital, in Glangwili, Carmarthenshire, for nine months. This was revoked in January 2005 when the ban on treating under 18s was introduced. He was also barred from working with adults without a supervisor’s permission.

Now a GMC panel will sit in London on January 7 to review the case.

16,000 images were recovered from his computer

A spokesman said: “The panel will review the case of Charles Gordon Bartlett, a consultant radiologist, whose registration is subject to conditions until January 8, 2008, as a consequence of a direction of a fitness to practise panel in January 2005.

“A professional conduct committee in April 2004 determined to suspend Dr Bartlett’s registration for a period of nine months. At that hearing, Dr Bartlett admitted his conviction of 12 counts of making indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children, and five counts of having indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children under section 1(a) of the Protection of Children Act 1978 and section 160 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988.

“Dr Bartlett also admitted that he had then been sentenced at Swansea Crown Court on November 3, 2003, to a community rehabilitation order for three years on each count to run concurrently, and placed on the sex offender’s register for five years. A fitness to practise panel, applying the General Medical Council’s preliminary proceedings committee and professional conduct committee procedure rules 1988, reviewed Dr Bartlett’s case in January 2005 and determined that it would be both appropriate and proportionate to impose conditions on Dr Bartlett’s registration for a period of three years.”

16,000 images were recovered from his computer

But news of the review have put children’s groups on alert.

The NSPCC urged the General Medical Council to follow their guidance “that no doctor registered as a sex offender should have unrestricted registration”.

NSPCC Cymru director, Greta Thomas, said: “The NSPCC expects all professional bodies to take convictions and cautions for downloading child pornography very seriously.

“Doctors who download indecent images of children should not be allowed to work with children.”

16,000 images were recovered from his computer