A doctor’s career is in ruins after he was convicted of a “thoroughly nasty” sexual assault on a woman on a train.

Natarajan Nandakumar, from Canterbury, faces disciplinary proceedings by the General Medical Council and could be forced to return to India.

The 36-year-old senior eye consultant at the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford was convicted by a 10-2 jury majority.

Nandakumar, of Holters Mill, The Spires, was fined £3,000 and ordered to pay almost £2,000 costs.

A judge refused to order compensation for the woman in case it gave the wrong impression.

“Compensation may sound attractive in one sense,” he said. “But it would be terrible if it was interpreted as saying: 'There, there, take this sum of money and buy yourself something nice and somehow get over it’.

“I have in mind that this man’s career may be ended or ruined.”

Maidstone Crown Court heard how the woman fell asleep on a train from London in September, 2006, and awoke at Hildenborough station to find Nandakumar touching her thigh.

The doctor was sitting next to her and could be seen on CCTV, shown to the jury, looking at her as she slept during the journey.

Caroline Knight, prosecuting, said the woman, who was wearing trousers, challenged Nandakumar.

He jumped up and claimed he had not done anything. The woman told him she was going to call the police.

He replied he was going to get off the train. He left the station, followed by the victim, but returned and was arrested.

Nandakumar told the court he had been to a medical conference and was returning home.

“The seats were quite small and there was not much room. There was some body contact,” he said.

“Our legs could have touched. We might have touched elbows as well.

“I was shifting my position to get myself more comfortable. I was just looking all around really.”

Nandakumar added: “I can’t describe the amount of trauma this caused me in my family life and my work life.”