Surgeon Dr Ahmed Abdelgawad admits public decency charge
A heart surgeon has admitted outraging public decency amid allegations he lay on the floor of a supermarket aisle to look up a woman's skirt.
Dr Ahmed Abdelgawad, 35, of Roath, Cardiff, denied touching himself during the incident at a Swansea Tesco branch in May.
He was given bail to reappear Swansea magistrates' court at a later date.
Dr Abdelgawad has been suspended from practising by the General Medical Council (GMC) pending its inquiries.
The court was told that police were called and the surgeon was arrested as he was seen approaching other women in the shop.
Magistrates were shown CCTV footage of him allegedly peering up the woman's skirt.
Prosecutor Nicola Powell said: "Abdelgawad gets up afterwards and is in the store for some time afterwards and appears to be following several young females.
"At one point, he is crouching next to a young girl in the fruit and vegetable aisle and appears to be about to do the same again."
In a statement read to the court on his behalf, Abdelgawad, who works at two Swansea hospitals, said: "It was a stupid, silly mistake.
"I didn't touch myself in any way. I am remorseful for the incident and put it down to my raised stress, anxiety or depression."
The court will hold a further hearing to decide whether he touched himself at the time of the offence.
A GMC spokesperson said: "He has been suspended from the medical register and may not practise as a doctor in the UK.
"He will remain suspended while an investigation takes place."