Doctor who botched ‘Camden Ripper’ post-mortem and Tomlinson case is struck off
A doctor who botched the post-mortem of the first victim of the “Camden Ripper” has been struck off the medical register following the bungled examination of G20 protester Ian Tomlinson.
Freddy Patel, who was based at St Pancras Coroner’s Court, was found guilty of misconduct and dishonesty in his examination of the newspaper vendor.
He was told he had brought the profession into disrepute when he ruled that Ian Tomlinson had died of a heart attack as he walked home during a G20 protest in 2009.
He failed to change his mind despite being shown footage of him being struck with a baton and shoved to the ground. He also knew that three other pathologists had found that Mr Tomlinson had died of bleeding from a serious injury to his liver.
The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service today (Thursday) struck him off the medical register.
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This week’s hearing was the third time he has appeared before fitness to practice panels.
In March 2011 Dr Patel came under fire for his handling of the death of sex worker Sally White in an estate off Royal College Street in Camden Town.
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Dr Patel’s investigation ruled out foul play after the 31-year-old was found dead in Camden Ripper Hardy’s flat with a cut to her head and a bite mark on her naked body.
Dr Patel, who was suspended for his handling of the case, said she had died of natural causes, discouraging a police investigation that might have saved two later victims whose dismembered body parts were found in bin bags near Hardy’s home.
In reaching their decision, the panel also took into consideration Dr Patel’s evidence heard in a hearing in September 2010 that related to the following cases:
n A five-year-old child who had previously been admitted to hospital after a serious fall. Dr Patel failed to record details in relation to the finding of marks of violence.
n The death of a four-week-old baby in which a panel said consideration should be given to whether the death was suspicious. Dr Patel was found to have ignored the advice and carried out the post-mortem simply at a time of his own convenience.
n An elderly woman about whom Dr Patel changed his opinion to satisfy her family.
At the medical tribunal hearing on Tuesday, Rev Robert Lloyd-Richards, chairman, told him: “The panel has determined that your fitness to practise remains impaired by reason of the misconduct and deficient professional performance found previously and is impaired by reason of misconduct and deficient professional performance in the case of Mr Tomlinson.”
