Banned doctor Levon Mkhitarian jailed after treating 3,000 patients

A banned doctor who stole another doctor's identity and treated 3,000 patients has been jailed.

Levon Mkhitarian, 36, of Renaissance Walk, London, pleaded guilty to fraud after he was caught impersonating a doctor while working in Ashford, Kent.

Mkhitarian, who was originally from Georgia, had been banned by the General Medical Council, but began forging documents to gain employment.

He was jailed for six years when he appeared at Canterbury Crown Court.

Mkhitarian came to the UK in 2007 on a student visa to study medicine and qualified as a doctor.

However, concerns were raised about whether he could work at the level required and he was suspended from working as a doctor in the UK.

'Reckless'

Despite this he started to forge documents to assume the identity of another doctor. He made up a CV, bank statements and energy bills, medical degree and training certificates.

His deception was discovered by staff at the William Harvey Hospital, in Ashford, and he was arrested.

Det Ch Insp Nick Gossett, of Kent Police, said: "In this particular case the risk of harm to patients was not high but nevertheless his actions were selfish and reckless.

"Mkhitarian is now behind bars and will hopefully use that time to realise the severity of his actions, both for himself and those affected."