Health and Care Professions Council determination — substantive hearing
HCPTS strikes Joseph Steel off after seven sexual offence convictions
The physiotherapist remained on the sex offenders register and had not provided independent evidence of remediation.
MedicWatch editorial · Published 12 January 2024 · Updated 23 September 2026
Erasure (struck off the register)
Data last checked: 23 September 2026Report a correction
What does “struck off the register” mean?
The regulator directed removal from the register in this decision. The decision explains when the direction takes effect and any appeal provisions. Check the official register for the practitioner's current registration status.
Concerning Joseph Steel, physiotherapist (Health and Care Professions Council PH107701).
Decision date: 12 January 2024 · Hearing started 11 January 2024 and ended 12 January 2024
In plain English
The HCPTS panel struck physiotherapist Joseph Steel off after seven convictions for exposing himself to women. Although he had shown remorse and some insight, there was little verified remediation and a continuing repetition risk. His repeated sexual offending and ongoing registration as a sex offender were incompatible with remaining in the profession.
Charges
Mr Steel was convicted of seven offences of intentionally exposing his genitals to women to cause alarm or distress. He received a suspended prison sentence, supervision, programme and curfew requirements, and ten years on the sex offenders register.
Findings
The panel found impairment on personal and public grounds. Although Mr Steel had expressed remorse and shown insight, there was little independently verified remediation and an ongoing repetition risk. The repeated sexual offending and continued sex-offender registration were fundamentally incompatible with professional registration, so the panel struck him off.
Mitigating and aggravating factors
Mitigating factors
Apologetic and remorseful; demonstrated insight; had taken steps to remediate and sought help, although there was no objective verification and the panel gave this limited weight; self-referred to and engaged with the HCPC.
Aggravating factors
Serious sexual offences; offences committed in a Trust lease vehicle, indicating a breach of trust; a pattern of unacceptable behaviour across multiple incidents; potential emotional harm to the victims.
Source
All facts on this page are drawn from the publicly published Health and Care Professions Council determination linked below. MedicWatch does not editorialise the regulator’s findings.
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