Thame hair consultant jailed

A THAME hair consultant was today jailed for sexual offences against women, carried out in his clinic between 2004 and 2007.
Father of four, Praminder Mankoo, was given a three year prison sentence for each of one count of indecent assault and three of sexual assault, by Judge Mary Jane Mowatt, at Reading Crown Court this afternoon.

Prosecuting Counsel, Kate Mallinson, told the court that all the victims went to Mankoo because they were very distressed and concerned about their hair and that “…they clearly felt preyed on by someone they went to for help. They felt defiled and gullible.”

The judge said that Mankoo was “clearly in a state of self-deception” and believed that he was misunderstood.
“Despite police cautions and reports in the newspapers,” she told him, “you continued to act inappropriately and entirely unprofessionally with one of your clients, which you have admitted to.”

Defending Mankoo, Christine Agnew said: “He is in many ways an imperfect man – yes, but he is a kind man with a weakness.”
“He does accept,” she went on, “that they (his victims) have been caused some distress which he has caused and he is remorseful.
He was also, she said, deeply sorry for what he had put his family through.

Miss Agnew said that it was the massaging that triggered the unacceptable behaviour and that with the provisos in place once he has completed his sentence, she did not think that it would be very easy for Mankoo to rebuilt his business.

All four sentences are to run concurrently. Once released, Mankoo will have to take part in a sex offenders treatment course for a further three years and if he resumes operating as a practioner, may not carryout out massages, and any treatment must be carried out with another female present on the premises. He will remain on the Sexual Offences register indefinitely.

Photo: Courtesy of BBC.Co.uk