BRITO-BABAPULLE: JUDGE BANS CONSULTANT FROM CONTACTING EX-HUSBAND AFTER HATE CAMPAIGN
A hospital consultant has today (Fri) been banned for life from contacting her doctor ex-husband after a bitter poison-pen campaign against him.
Dr Finella Brito-Babapulle, a blood specialist at Ealing Hospital, told Dr Mark Layton’s new partner he was gay and even tried to convince the police to investigate him over the death of his elderly father.
The pair, who have three children together, split acrimoniously in 2008 following two decades of marriage, the City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard.
Between September 19 last year and March 28 this year, Brito-Babapulle sent a string of text messages, e-mails and letters demanding money for their children.
Last Christmas, she slipped a message into gifts from her daughters to his girlfriend in which she questioned Dr Layton’s sexuality.
As well as banning all contact, District Judge Michael Snow ruled separately that she would be prohibited from Dr Layton’s home postcode district in St John’s Wood, for two years.
Also ordering her to pay £655 towards prosecution costs, he said: ‘What you did was grossly offensive, and caused distress at a time when Mr Layton was in emotional turmoil over the death of his father.
‘You made references to his private life which were outrageous.’
The 57-year-old, who has been referred to the General Medical Council for disciplinary action, qualified in medicine in 1978 before registering as a haematologist in 1996.
Dr Layton, also a consultant haematologist, works at Hammersmith and St Mary’s hospitals.
In a rambling posting online, Brito-Babapulle claimed she was being persecuted for asking him to pay £3,000 towards the cost of their daughter’s 18th birthday party.
‘My ex husband used a false allegation of harassment to punish me as he had no other way of getting back at me for divorcing him,’ she wrote.
‘In my case not ever having a criminal record I am suddenly detained at Her Majesty’s pleasure.’
On another website, she wrote that she had been arrested ‘for telling the truth’.
Katherine Duncan, defending, said Brito-Babapulle had been referred to two psychiatrists to determine whether she suffered from mental health problems.
She added: ‘There were a number of incidents, but over four months and there have been no more incidents since.’
The court order permanently bans Brito-Babapulle from ever contacting either Dr Layton or his new partner or writing about either of them on social networking websites like Twitter and Facebook.
Judge Snow said: ‘I’m going to make you subject to a restraining order without limit of time – it remains in place forever.
‘If you see either of these people walking towards you, you turn around and don’t talk to them.
‘If you breach any part of the order, you’ll be guilty of an offence that carries up to five years’ imprisonment.’
A spokesman for the GMC said Brito-Babapulle had not been suspended from practising and remained free to work as a doctor without any restrictions.
Brito-Babapulle, of (36) West Park Road, Richmond, Surrey, denied harassment but was found guilty following a trial last month.
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