Health and Care Professions Council determination — substantive hearing
HCPTS strikes off Gavin Bettencourt over sexual offence convictions
A panel found five convictions and non-disclosure misconduct incompatible with continued registration as a physiotherapist.
MedicWatch editorial · Published 10 November 2023 · 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 Gavin Bettencourt, physiotherapist (Health and Care Professions Council PH109674).
Decision date: 10 November 2023 · Hearing started 9 November 2023 and ended 10 November 2023
In plain English
The HCPTS panel found physiotherapist Gavin Bettencourt's five convictions involving child sexual-abuse imagery and other prohibited pornography proved, together with misconduct for failing to disclose the case to the HCPC. It found impairment, struck him off and imposed an 18-month interim suspension pending appeal.
Charges
It was alleged that the Registrant had five convictions concerning Category A, B and C indecent images or videos of children, an extreme pornographic image and a prohibited image of a child; failed to tell the HCPC as soon as possible that he had been charged or convicted; committed misconduct through that non-disclosure; and was impaired by conviction and/or misconduct.
Findings
The Panel found Particulars 1(a)-1(e) proved by the convictions and Particular 2 proved on the balance of probabilities. It found the non-disclosure amounted to misconduct and found current impairment, concluding that the sexual offending and lack of transparency were incompatible with registration. It ordered striking off and imposed an 18-month interim suspension pending appeal.
Mitigating and aggravating factors
Mitigating factors
His cooperation with the criminal investigation. His pleas of guilty. His genuine remorse at that time. His previous good character at that time. His apparent insight into the consequences of his actions referred to by the sentencing Judge and mentioned by the Registrant in his police interviews.
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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