Paediatrician admits string of child sex offences
A doctor who worked in paediatrics in hospitals across Greater Manchester has admitted a string of child sex offences.
Raza Laskar, 32, of Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, pleaded guilty to 31 charges including sexual activity with a child and possessing extreme pornography.
The offences were against 12 boys under the age of 16, with his victims based in the UK and abroad.
Police were alerted to Laskar when more than 1,600 files suspected to contain indecent photographs of children were made available on a file-sharing website between Christmas Day last year and January 27.
An IP address was linked to Laskar's home.
After searching the 32-year-old's property, officers found more than 1.2 million images and videos of the doctor engaging in sexual acts with a child in a hotel room.
At Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court, he pleaded guilty to:
Six counts of causing or inciting child pornography
One count of taking indecent photographs
Eight counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity
Five counts of voyeurism
Three counts of sexual activity with a child
Two counts of distributing an indecent photograph of a child
One count of incitement to distribute an indecent photograph of a child
Two counts of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity
Two counts of making indecent photographs of a child
One count of possessing an extreme pornographic image
Police described Laskar as a "Jekyll and Hyde" character, adding: "He is vastly different in moral character depending on the situation, going from caring for and treating children to deliberately targeting, grooming and abusing them."
Detective inspector Theresa Carter said Laskar's profession will be an "aggravating factor and one that many people will be extremely concerned about" but stressed that investigators had found no evidence that he committed any offences during his employment.
He is due to be sentenced on January 9.