Married man wanted his secretary to terminate pregnancy after their affair

A remorseless doctor at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington was struck off the medical register on Tuesday for trying to abort his lover’s baby by lacing her drinks with drugs.

Edward Erin, 46, spiked her coffee and orange juice with crushed up tablets in a bid to force his medical secretary at the hospital, Bella Prowse, 35, to miscarry.

The respiratory consultant was jailed for six years in 2009 on two counts of attempting to administer poison and was this week found to have “never acknowledged fault” and “shown no remorse” by a General Medical Council (GMC) fitness to practise panel.

Ms Prowse fell pregnant after embarking on an affair with the married doctor at a Christmas party.

Erin then pressured his mistress to have an abortion in a series of text messages and calls but after Ms Prowse refused to terminate the pregnancy, the father of two attempted to force a miscarriage himself.

Ms Prowse found sediment floating in both a cup of coffee bought for her by Erin and a bottle of orange juice he gave her at work.

She kept the drinks and containers and took them to police where they were found to have traces of drugs which could “procure a miscarriage” or cause birth defects. She eventually gave birth to a healthy boy.

Concluding the GMC hearing this week, panel chairman Pamela Mansell said: “The panel noted that this case is concerned with grave breaches of good medical practice. It is concerned that Dr Erin’s offences were premeditated acts, using his medical skills and knowledge, to attempt to cause serious harm to others.

“As a doctor, he knew or should have known that Methotrexate in particular could cause long-term harm to his intended victim and her unborn child.

“The panel considers that Dr Erin has never acknowledged fault in this case and has shown no remorse for his actions and the panel has received no evidence to suggest he has now gained insight into the gravity of his actions.

“Dr Erin’s conduct was utterly unacceptable and is fundamentally incompatible with his remaining a registered medical practitioner.”