Health and Care Professions Council determination — substantive hearing
HCPTS panel strikes off Leslie Richards after serious assault convictions
A panel ordered physiotherapist Leslie Richards's erasure after finding serious sexual and violent convictions created an ongoing public risk.
MedicWatch editorial · Published 28 February 2025 · 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 Leslie Richards, physiotherapist (Health and Care Professions Council PH99661).
Decision date: 28 February 2025 · Hearing started 27 February 2025 and ended 28 February 2025
In plain English
The HCPTS panel found that physiotherapist Leslie Richards's convictions for two assaults by penetration and actual bodily harm impaired his fitness to practise. It found a continuing public risk and no meaningful evidence of insight or remediation, ordered erasure and imposed an 18-month interim suspension for the appeal period.
Charges
It was alleged that on 9 January 2024 the Registrant was convicted at Basildon Crown Court of two counts of assault by penetration and one count of actual bodily harm, and that his fitness to practise was impaired by reason of those convictions.
Findings
The Panel found Particulars 1(a) and 1(b) proved from the certificate of conviction and found the statutory ground made out. It found current impairment on personal and public grounds, a continuing risk of harm and no meaningful evidence of insight or remediation. It ordered erasure and imposed an 18-month interim suspension for the appeal period.
Mitigating and aggravating factors
Mitigating factors
The Registrant entered guilty pleas at the Crown Court; and He had a previously good regulatory history.
Aggravating factors
the Registrant had been convicted of two serious criminal offences in relation to assault by penetration and actual bodily harm as reflected in the Judge’s sentencing remarks; the offences were deliberate and premeditated; the Registrant has not demonstrated any meaningful insight into his behaviour since his convictions (noting his guilty pleas at the Crown Court) and there is no evidence before the Panel that the Registrant has remediated his behaviour; and the Registrant has not demonstrated any remorse.
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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