GOC to hear two appeals

A GOC registration appeals committee is to consider an application to the register of optometrists made by Ashley Gould who was struck off in March 2006 after being convicted of several counts of making an indecent photograph of a child.

Gould was convicted in July 2005 of offences under the Protection of Children Act 1978 and the Criminal Justice Act 1988 at Horseferry Road Magistrates Court in London. He was sentenced to a three-year rehabilitation order and ordered to sign onto the sex offenders register for five years.Gould was also ordered to attend a six-month sex offenders programme by Horseferry Road Magistrates Court. At the time, the committee ordered that he be removed from the register of optometrists with immediate effect.