Student can resume career

A trainee optometrist has persuaded the GOC that a police caution against her was an 'empty shell' - rather than a genuine admission of guilt.

Gurpreet Kaur Chaggar was cautioned by Uxbridge Police on March 20 2008, over the theft of £20 on November 3 2007 at Specsavers, Uxbridge. She admitted she signed a police caution but did not admit she committed the underlying offence relating to the caution.

After several hearings, during which the disciplinary panel was persuaded to 'go behind' the caution and hear evidence of the matters which led up to the caution, it decided her fitness to undertake training was not impaired.