FORMER HOME OFFICE PATHOLOGIST ADMITS 'ARROGANCE' ON DUTY
A former Home Office forensic pathologist has admitted that he was 'arrogant' in the way he conducted post-mortem examinations and wrong to claim that two women had been murdered when the weight of the medical evidence was against him.
The comments come as Dr Michael Heath faces a General Medical Council hearing, enquiring into his fitness to continue practicing medicine.
Three years ago, the senior pathologist resigned from the Home Office Register on the eve of sanctions being announced. The move followed strong criticism by a Government disciplinary panel for his work on the deaths of Mary Anne Moore and Jacqueline Tindsley.
In the first, an Old Bailey jury cleared the then Defendant Kenneth Moore of murder. In the second, Steven Puaca, originally convicted of murder, was acquitted by the Appeal Court after ruling that seven pathologists were right and the one, Dr Heath, was wrong. In both cases, the Court eventually concluded that the deaths were from natural causes.
Appearing before the GMC disciplinary panel, Dr Heath accepted that his conduct at the time of the two deaths was 'inappropriate, inadequate, not of a standard expected of a medical practitioner and liable to bring the profession into disrepute.'He added that: "It was quite apparent I had been incredibly arrogant in my approach. I had been doing the job for 20-odd years, had obtained a senior position and had done many, many cases."
Dr Heath said "When I reflect upon things it was apparent that I was muddling up theoretical and academic argument with what I was required to do.", adding "I was making a bit of a Horlicks of my professional job. I was not addressing the issue of my job and not listening to others."
He told the panel: "I had become my own judge and jury and that was wrong." He said that "In relation to the two cases, I did not undertake an adequate histological examination in the Fraser case and no histological examination in the Puaca case and at no time asked for assistance from anyone else to help in those cases. "At no stage did I seek help. I just carried on going in an arrogant way and that was wrong." He continued. "It was not in the interests of justice and I can see that now. It has taken me some time to get there."
Dr Heath told the GMC panel that he had "absolutely no intention" of returning to forensic cases in any guise in the future and would not act again in an expert capacity in criminal proceedings, unless required by law to do so.
He said he was now solely concentrating on autopsies for Coroners, a field in which, he said, his approach was "completely different", adding that "he consulted colleagues if he needed assistance and always liaised with a coroner to ensure they were happy with his conduct.
The hearing continues.
ENDS