Doctor fined over abortions

Ramanlal Aggrawal, 47, a gynaecologist, was fined pounds 2,000 at the Old Bailey for carrying out illegal abortions in National Health Service hospitals. Mr Justice Garland told him that he had 'dishonestly abused the resources of the NHS and betrayed his profession'.

Aggrawal carried out the operations on the same woman at the West Middlesex Hospital in Isleworth and the Chase Farm Hospital in Enfield, and had coached her on how to trick staff at both hospitals.

The judge accepted that Aggrawal, from Kingsbury, north-west London, was motivated by the desire to help a woman who faced the hostility of her community. He now faced being struck off, the court was told.