Police have launched a review after being accused of failing to stop a perverted doctor’s reoffending – before he tried having sex with a child.

Salman Siddiqi was only handed a caution after running through Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park naked, while actively exposing his genitals in June 2019.

Emboldened, the 44-year-old children’s pediatrician would later attempt to meet a 14-year-old boy at the QEQM Hospital in Margate, his place of work.

But the child turned out to be a ‘paedophile hunter’ who gave chase through the hospital grounds, as Siddiqi made an outrageous attempt to flee through the A&E department.

Now, one victim of the 2019 incident alleges Scotland Yard brushed Siddiqi’s antics “under the carpet”, allowing the nature of his offending to intensify.

Susan Clapp says she was prepared to assist the Metropolitan Police with a robust prosecution – but she claims the opportunity never came.

“I thought he would go to court and he’d be dealt with,” she told ITV.

“But they just gave him a caution, and let him off, and told him not to do it again.

“It got brushed under the carpet, by the police, with just a caution. He was left with his own devices to just do what he wanted too.

“It’s disgusting. (His attempting to meet a child) wouldn't have happened if the police would have taken action from the very beginning.”

It has recently emerged police also failed to inform the NHS or General Medical Council (GMC) of Siddiqi’s exposure offence, helping pave the way for him to remain as a practioner.

Earlier this year, an anonymous citizen-detective pretended to be a 14-year-old boy and arranged to meet the consultant at his lodgings in the hospital grounds, off Ramsgate Road.

Siddiqi, originally from London, sent naked pictures of himself ahead of the 3am encounter on January 8 this year and was expecting the pair to engage in sexual activity.

But when he was instead confronted outside the accommodation by a 49-year-old man, he turned and ran into the hospital's A&E department.

The 'paedophile hunter' gave chase while calling police, following Siddiqi through a number of doors he was opening using a security card.

Siddiqi was eventually detained by staff and arrested when officers arrived at the hospital, before being charged.

He had previously been cautioned by police for flashing his genitals during the day time in a London nature reserve in 2019.

Until officers arrived at the scene in Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park, Siddiqi was held in a citizens' arrest by onlookers.

He failed to tell the GMC about the caution, and in January 2021 started working for East Kent Hospitals, which runs the QEQM.

Siddiqi was employed by the trust through a recruitment agency called ProMedical, but despite the fact his police caution would have shown on a Disclosure and Barring Service certificate, it was not picked up by either.

Two months later Siddiqi told GMC officials about the caution following an “informal discussion” with a senior colleague.

The Met Police has confirmed it has launched an internal review.

A Scotland Yard spokesperson said: “Common Law Police Disclosure ensures that where there is a public protection risk, the police will pass information to the employer or regulatory body to allow them to act swiftly to mitigate any risk.

“As per National Police Chiefs’ Council guidance, the general presumption is that the police should maintain the confidentiality of personal information.

“The police do however possess a common law power to share personal sensitive information with third parties where a ‘pressing social need’ can be established.

“A pressing social need might be the safeguarding, or protection from harm, of an individual, a group of individuals, or society at large.

“The decision on ‘pressing social need’ is based on the officer investigating the case’s assessment of the risk and vulnerability of the individual case and circumstances.

“In this instance disclosure was not made and having been made aware of this, we are reviewing the circumstances around this decision.”

Siddiqi pleaded guilty at court to charges of engaging in sexual communication with a child and attempting to arrange or facilitate the commission of a child sex offence.

He was sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court last month to two years and four months imprisonment.

Describing Siddiqi’s actions as “deeply troubling”, judge Mark Weekes told him: “There was mercifully no child victim in this case - and this was no thanks to you.”