Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service determination — substantive hearing
MPTS tribunal erases retired GP Dr Mark Westbrook after child indecent-image convictions
The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service has erased retired GP Dr Mark Westbrook from the medical register after he was convicted of making indecent images of children and given a suspended prison sentence, finding his conviction incompatible with continued registration.
MedicWatch editorial · Published 7 May 2026 · Updated 8 July 2026
Erasure (struck off the register)
Added to MedicWatch: 8 July 2026Report a correction
What does “struck off the register” mean?
Being struck off (the regulator calls this "erasure") removes the practitioner from the register. They are no longer permitted to practise this profession in the UK. Erasure can be reviewed after a minimum of five years, but is otherwise indefinite.
Concerning Mark Westbrook, doctor (General Medical Council 3433229).
Decision date: 7 May 2026 · Hearing started 6 May 2026 and ended 7 May 2026
In plain English
The MPTS tribunal found that Dr Mark Westbrook, a retired GP, was convicted at Newport Magistrates' Court in November 2025 of three offences of making indecent images of children, for which he received a suspended prison sentence, a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a 10-year notification requirement. The tribunal found his fitness to practise impaired by reason of his conviction and, noting the high risk to public protection and absence of insight or remediation, erased his name from the medical register.
Charges
The Tribunal found proved that on 14 November 2025 at Newport Magistrates' Court Dr Westbrook was convicted of three offences of making indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of a child, contrary to sections 1(1)(a) and 6 of the Protection of Children Act 1978: 8 Category A, 2 Category B and 2 Category C indecent images and videos. On 12 December 2025 he was sentenced to concurrent terms of eight, four and two months' imprisonment, suspended for 24 months, made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years, and became subject to a 10-year notification requirement under the Sexual Offences Act 2003.
Findings
The Tribunal accepted the certificate of conviction as conclusive evidence and found all paragraphs of the Allegation proved. It determined that Dr Westbrook's fitness to practise was impaired by reason of his conviction, placing the case at the high end of the spectrum of seriousness. It found the behaviour persistent, premeditated and directed at children, with a reckless disregard for professional standards, and noted he had not informed the GMC of the charge or conviction. Beyond one email stating he considered himself unfit to practise, the Tribunal found no evidence of insight or remediation and a high risk of repetition. It concluded that erasure was the only proportionate sanction, as his conviction was incompatible with continued registration, and imposed an immediate order of suspension.
Mitigating and aggravating factors
Aggravating factors
The Tribunal identified features increasing seriousness: the behaviour was persistent and repeated, with multiple indecent images made over approximately a month; it was directed towards children, who are inherently vulnerable; it was premeditated, as he intentionally sought out and downloaded the images; it was predatory, using the 'Kik' application to express a sexual interest in 14-year-old girls; it showed a reckless disregard for professional standards; and he undermined a system designed to protect the public by not informing the GMC of the charge or conviction.
Source
All facts on this page are drawn from the publicly published Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service determination linked below. MedicWatch does not editorialise the regulator’s findings.
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