Mr Leslie Richards

 

1. The Panel was provided with a Notice of Hearing dated 23 May 2023 which was sent to the email address of the Registrant.

 

2. The HCPC provided a signed Certificate confirming the Registrant’s email address. The HCPC also provided the delivery receipt confirming that the email had been received at the relevant email address on 23 May 2023.

 

3. It was established that the Notice of Hearing had been sent to the Registrant’s correct registered address. The Panel heard and accepted the advice of the Legal Assessor. 

 

4. The Panel was satisfied that the Notice of Hearing had been properly served in accordance with the Health and Care Professionals Council (Coronavirus) (Amendment) rules Order of Council 2021, which have been in force since 4 March 2021. These rules provide express provision for the HCPC to serve notices via electronic email and hold hearings via audio and video link where necessary.

 

 

5. The HCPC made an application for the proceedings to be heard in private. The reason for this was that the Registrant was facing potential proceedings in the criminal courts. It was in the interests of justice for the interim order application proceedings to be heard in private in order that future criminal law proceedings were not prejudiced. 

 

6. The Panel heard advice from the Legal Assessor. The Panel was advised as to the principle of open justice and that the starting point should be that hearings are held in Public, in accordance with Article (6)(1) ECHR.  The Panel then went on to consider whether any of the exceptions applied and had regard to the HCPC Practice Note on Conducting Hearings in Private dated 22nd March 2017. 

 

7. The Panel considered whether any part of the proceedings could be heard in public. However, the main component of the proceedings were allegations of rape and sexual assault by the Registrant.  The Registrant had been charged with criminal offences. He faced police investigation for a separate set of unrelated but similar offences.  The Panel concluded that if the proceedings were heard in public there could be a real risk that any future criminal proceedings would be prejudiced. The Panel concluded that it was in the interests of justice that the entirety of the proceedings should be heard in private. 

 

 

ORDER: The Registrar is directed to suspend the name of Leslie Richards from the Register on an interim basis for a period of 18 months. 

 

This order will be reviewed by the Committee no later than 5 December 2023 or earlier if new evidence which is relevant to the Order becomes available after it was made.