A Glasgow GP receptionist has been sentenced after illegally accessing and sharing confidential patient records on social media in what a sheriff called a "deeply concerning" breach of trust.
Arman Vyas, 23, a University of Stirling student, worked at two medical practices where he had access to more than 15,000 patient records. He took screenshots of sensitive medical information and shared them on Snapchat, even showing one patient's private records at a bar, reported the Times.
The court heard that Vyas targeted specific individuals, including a doctor and his daughter, and in one case added mocking comments to a patient's intimate medical details before sharing them. His actions came to light when someone contacted one of his victims on Instagram to alert them about their leaked medical information.
Sheriff Louise Arrol KC rejected Vyas's claims of naivety, telling him: "I do not accept that someone with your intellect didn't know the importance of this information... You are at university, which makes it more bizarre and highly vindictive."
His defence lawyer claimed Vyas "didn't quite understand the seriousness or that it was illegal" and was "trying to impress his friends." However, the sheriff dismissed these explanations as insufficient, noting she could find "no motivation other than mindless" behaviour.
The impact on victims was severe, with one stating that Vyas's actions had "ruined her" and left her feeling "devastated and embarrassed." Another became anxious after witnessing him "bragging" about his access to medical records at a Glasgow bar.
Narrowly avoiding jail, Vyas received a 20-week electronic tag with a night-time curfew and two years of supervision. He was also handed a three-year non-harassment order preventing contact with his victims. Sheriff Arrol noted he had come "as close as a first offender can be to a custodial sentence."
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