Image caption Noel Sardar changed his plea two days into a trial in December

A psychiatrist who made "sexually motivated" advances to two patients in his care has been given a suspended sentence for stalking them.

Dr Noel Sardar pretended to be working on call to gain access to one woman's home and bought the other alcohol, telling her he was trying to get her drunk, Swansea Crown Court heard.

The woman contacted the police after he continued to call and text her.

Sardar admitted stalking without fear of causing harm or distress.

The 45-year-old had originally denied two counts of stalking causing harm or distress, but pleaded guilty to the two lesser charges on the second day of his trial in December.

He received a 20-week suspended sentence for each stalking charge and 30 days of rehabilitation.

Sardar, of Gaer Street, Newport, was practising at The Forge Mental Health Centre in Port Talbot in early 2019 when the offences took place.

During the trial, the court had heard both women suffered from significant mental health problems.

Bought alcohol

Prosecutor Paul Hobson told the jury Sardar "had abused the doctor-patient relationship" by making contact with both women outside of work.

Sardar had obtained his victims' phone numbers from medical records and would call and text to meet up.

On one occasion, he took one woman to a cafe, asked why she was single and bought her alcohol, telling her he was trying to get her drunk,

The woman said she felt he was hoping to get invited to her flat and contacted police after calls and texts continued two days later.

'Knew their frailties'

Sardar continued to visit the other victim even after he was suspended from work following allegations about his behaviour.

Judge Paul Thomas QC said Sardar's advances were "persistent, unwelcome and downright creepy" and had destroyed the women's faith in the medical profession "upon which they are both so reliant".

"You knew their frailties and their mental health problems but that did not, I'm afraid, stop you from exploiting them for your own purposes," he said.

"I consider your behaviour was sexually motivated."

Sardar will face a hearing with the General Medical Council later this week to decide if he can continue practising.