A former doctor who sexually assaulted a young girl multiple times over 35 years ago has been jailed.

The actions of Lalitkumar Muljibhai Nirmal, 79, of Malham Close, Friern Barnet, over an 11-year-period were described by the Crown Prosecution Service as "despicable and predatory".

The offences against the same female victim, who was under 14-years-old, took place between 1975 and 1986 in various places, including south London and Wales.

Nirmal, who worked as a GP in Cwmbran in Wales and knew the girl, admitted eight counts of indecent assault and four counts of gross indecency.

He was also convicted of a single count of indecent assault against a separate young girl who was also known to him.

The Metropolitan Police says they became aware of allegations against Nirmal in 2019 and was interviews in August 2020 under caution before later being charged with offences in May last year.

At Woolwich Crown Court on August 10, Nirmal was sent to prison for 15-and-a-half-years.

Detective Sergeant Mark Morris, from the Metropolitan Police, said: "I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks and gratitude to the victims in this case, who have been extremely courageous in coming forward to police and recounting the trauma of the years of abuse they suffered because of Nirmal.

"One can’t even begin to imagine the impact, both physical and mental, such sustained abuse will have had and I hope today’s sentence will give some sense of closure and peace.

"We know that Nirmal was a GP in the 1980s in the Torfaen area of Wales. Whilst the victims were not patients of his, we must consider the possibility that he abused this position of trust to hurt others.

"As such, I would appeal for anyone with information they believe could be relevant to contact the police on 101."

Senior crown prosecutor Anjie Bowen added: “Nirmal's actions were predatory and despicable. One of his victims endured appalling abuse at his hands for a decade, throughout a large portion of her childhood.

"Sexual offences are some of the most harrowing cases that we prosecute. The CPS is committed to bringing sexual offenders to justice regardless of the time that has passed since the crime took place.”