EXCLUSIVE: Multimillionaire dentist who tried to groom a 13-year-old girl is now fighting for the right to continue to treat children as patients
- Dentist Richard Prais has spent the last two years fighting against suspension
- Police found he had engaged in sexual communications with a schoolgirl in 2021
A multimillionaire dentist who tried to groom a 13-year-old girl is now fighting for the right to continue to treat children as patients, MailOnline has learned.
Despite admitting the sickening contact with the girl, Richard Prais has spent the last two years fighting against suspension by the General Dental Council.
Prais, who lives in a £8 million house in Hampstead Garden Suburb, has spent thousands on legal fees in his bid to win the right to continue to treat children despite his conviction – with a hearing set to decide his fate in weeks, MailOnline has learned.
The father-of-two was exposed after a police raid at his mansion in February 2021 when officers discovered that Prais had engaged in sexual communications online with the schoolgirl.
It later emerged that Prais – married to glamorous banker Frania – had sent messages to her from both his home and his practice in Hampstead, north London.
Despite admitting the sickening contact with the girl, Richard Prais has spent the last two years fighting against suspension by the General Dental Council
Prais, who lives in a £8 million house in Hampstead Garden Suburb, has spent thousands on legal fees in his bid to win the right to continue to treat children despite his conviction
The Metropolitan Police Online Child Abuse and Sexual Exploitation Team told the General Detal Council that when his case came to court, prosecutors said: ‘It is believed that Mr Prais had engaged in sexual communications online with a thirteen year old girl and Prais exchanged images of himself, whilst dressed in his medical robes. ‘Selfie’ images were exchanged, and images of a dental chair were shared with the child.’
Prais pleaded guilty at Willesden Magistrates Court to an ‘adult attempt to engage in sexual communication with a child’ between November 25, 2020 and January 27, 2021, contrary to Section 1(1) of the Criminal Attempts Act 1981.
He was sentenced to four months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, and placed on the Sex Offenders Register for seven years, in October 2021.
Additionally, Prais was made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for five years. He was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £128.
At the same time, the General Dental Council (GDC) also became aware of the allegations against Prais shortly after the Met raided the home he shares with his banker wife.
Following his arrest, the GDC received ‘intelligence’ about him. A fitness-to-practice panel on February 2, 2021 and the GDC determined that he should not be subjected to an interim suspension order – meaning he could continue to work with children unmonitored.
It later emerged that Prais had sent messages to her from both his home and his practice in Hampstead, north London
It wasn’t until seven months later, on September 6, 2021, that Prais was finally suspended from the NHS National Medical Performers List.
But the predatory dentist has demanded that he be allowed to treat children, even though the sanctions forbid him from working with them.
Prais is married to glamorous banker Frania
In his defence, Prais’ legal team argued he should be allowed to continue to practise as long as he has a chaperone and keeps detailed records when treating patients under 16.
Prais claims that ‘these conditions would mitigate any risks and would be sufficient to protect the public.’
At the last hearing, in May the GDC recorded: ‘The Council remains of the view that should a well-informed member of the public become aware of the facts of this matter, they would be outraged if the Registrant were to be allowed to continue to practice.
‘The Council also submits that should the Registrant be allowed to continue to practice, even under conditions, significant damage would be caused to the reputation of the profession and to the Council as regulator of the profession.’
Prais didn’t inform the GDC of the criminal charges against him until after his first court appearance. A fresh hearing is set to take this month.
Mr Prais was approached for comment.
Prais pleaded guilty at Willesden Magistrates Court to an ‘adult attempt to engage in sexual communication with a child’ between November 25, 2020 and January 27, 2021, contrary to Section 1(1) of the Criminal Attempts Act 1981
A General Dental Council (GDC) spokesperson said: ‘The General Dental Council’s (GDC) primary purpose is to protect patient safety and maintain public confidence in dental services. As part of this role, we investigate complaints about dental professionals’ fitness to practise and, where there are serious concerns, refer these to the Dental Professionals Hearings Service which can hold independent hearings by committee.
‘The Interim Orders Committee (IOC) suspended Mr Prais in September 2021. The IOC has powers to issue suspensions for the protection of the public and does not carry out a fact-finding exercise or make a final decision in relation to any potential charge.
‘Mr Prais continues to face an allegation of impaired fitness to practise brought by the GDC on the basis of his serious conviction.’
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