PATEL:BUNGLING PATHOLOGIST’S BAN EXTENDED BY GENERAL MEDICAL COUNCIL
The pathologist whose autopsies into the first victim of the ‘Camden Ripper’ may have hampered police will remain suspended while his investigation into the death of Ian Tomlinson is probed.
Dr Freddy Patel, 63, was banned from working for four months by the General Medical Council in March after making a string of errors while examining the body of prostitute Sally White.
She was murdered by ‘Camden Ripper’ Anthony Hardy, 59, who was jailed for life in 2003, but Dr Patel concluded she had died from a heart attack during consensual sex.
A GMC panel today (Tues) extended his suspension until December 31 while alleged shortcomings relating to his autopsy into Mr Tomlinson are investigated.
Newspaper vendor Mr Tomlinson died during the G20 protests on April 1, 2009.
Dr Patel concluded the 47-year-old had died of coronary heart disease after he was struck by police, but two other pathologists said he had died from internal bleeding caused by blunt force trauma.
Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer said failures by Dr Patel undermined the chances of successfully prosecuting the officer responsible.
An inquest jury returned a verdict of unlawful killing in May.
Panel chair Brian Gomes da Costa told Dr Patel today: ‘The panel considers that extending your suspension should provide the GMC with ample time to prepare the new allegation, to disclose its case to you and for you to prepare your response.’
Dr Patel was previously found guilty of misconduct over ‘ingrained shortcomings’ during the postmortem into Ms White’s death.
The original hearing was told how his autopsy had discouraged a police investigation that might have saved two other women.
His report to police ruling out murder meant there was effectively ‘no crime to investigate’, the panel heard.
Within months, Hardy went on to kill Elizabeth Valad, 29, and Brigette MacClennan, 34, whose bodies he chopped up and dumped in bin bags.
Patel, whose full name is Mohmed Saeed Sulema Patel, carried out three reports on White’s death, all of which concluded she had died naturally.
He wrote that there were ‘no marks of violence’ in the first report, despite the fact White had a large gash to the back of her head, and a bite mark on her thigh.
After the police had specifically asked Patel to comment on asphyxia, the doctor admitted he did not adequately comment on the circumstances when the ‘classic signs of asphyxia’ are not present.
In his third and final report, after he was again asked to expand on asphyxia by the CPS, Patel concluded: ‘There were no signs of asphyxia and death was due to natural causes’.
The panel found Dr Patel also failed to consider key evidence including the blood staining on her clothing and bedding, or the fact her naked body was found in a locked room in the flat of a recently arrested man.
ends
