BBC NEWS | Health | Sir Roy Meadow struck off by GMC

1 of 3

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4685511.stm

Explore the BBC

Search

Home

Low graphics | Accessibility help

News services
Your news when you
want it

BBC NEWS CHANNEL

News Front Page

World
UK

Last Updated: Friday, 15 July 2005, 14:23 GMT 15:23 UK

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version

Sir Roy Meadow struck off by GMC

England
Northern Ireland
Scotland
Wales
Business
Politics
Health
Medical notes
Education
Science &
Environment

The General Medical Council

has struck off paediatrician
Professor Sir Roy Meadow
after his "misleading"
evidence in the Sally Clark
case.

BBC NEWS:VIDEO AND AUDIO

Sally Clark's father welcomes

the GMC verdict

SEE ALSO

The GMC announced on Friday

that Sir Roy had been found
guilty of serious professional
misconduct.

GMC finds Clark professor guilty

13 Jul 05 | Health
Sir Roy denies serious professional
misconduct

Technology
Entertainment
Also in the news
----------------Video and Audio
----------------Have Your Say
Magazine

Sir Roy had stood by his evidence, but admitted his use of
statistics at Mrs Clark's 1999 trial was "insensitive".
Mrs Clark was convicted of murdering her two sons, but she
was exonerated after an appeal in 2003.
The GMC said Sir Roy's conduct had been "fundamentally
unacceptable".

In Pictures
Country Profiles
Special Reports
RELATED BBC SITES

Frank Lockyer, Mrs Clark's

father, who brought the case,
broke down in tears as he
welcomed the verdict.

SPORT
WEATHER
CBBC NEWSROUND
ON THIS DAY
EDITORS' BLOG

He has undoubtedly saved

the lives of many children
Sir Alan Craft, President of the
Royal College of Paediatrics and
Child Health

He said: "The GMC has applied

Profile: Professor Sir Roy Meadow
the ultimate sanction to the
doctor who played such a huge What now for expert witnesses?
part in my daughter's conviction.
"Now perhaps we, as a family, can put the last seven years of
hell behind us and move on."
Mrs Clark was eventually freed after it become apparent that
another witness at her trial, pathologist Alan Williams, had
failed to disclose key medical evidence.
The chair of the GMC panel considering Sir Roy's case said it
was vital the public had confidence in the experts brought
before the court and that was why he had to be struck off,
rather than be given a lesser penalty.

Cot death expert defends evidence

01 Jul 05 | Health
Profile: Sir Roy Meadow
15 Jul 05 | Health
What future for expert witnesses?
13 Jul 05 | UK
RELATED INTERNET LINKS

General Medical Council

Royal College of Paediatrics and
Child Health
The BBC is not responsible for the
content of external internet sites
TOP HEALTH STORIES

Hospitals 'eyeing private market'

Stem cell method put to the test
Stem cell 'hope' for arthritis

| News feeds
MOST POPULAR STORIES NOW
MOST SHARED

MOST READ

Japan quake 'heard at edge of

space'
Dead pig mystery in Shanghai
river
Gascoigne reveals US rehab
drama
Mary queen of maths
Actor helps couple after body
find
Home towns struggle with
legacy of Stalin and Hitler

The paediatrician left the hearing without commenting on the

GMC's decision.

Falklands holds vote over UK

status

'Grand National' odds

Answers demanded over

mortgage rise

During the trial, Sir Roy said the probability of two natural
unexplained cot deaths in the family was 73 million to one.
The figure was later disputed
by the Royal Statistical Society
and other experts said that
once genetic and
environmental factors were
taken into consideration, the
odds of a second cot death in

Meadow cases

Sally Clark: Served three years

after being wrongly convicted of
killing her two sons
Angela Cannings: Served 18
months after being wrongly
convicted of killing her two sons
Donna Anthony: Served six

Mind the Gap returns after wife

plea
Archbishop condemns benefit
changes
Most popular now, in detail

10/03/2013 11:36

BBC NEWS | Health | Sir Roy Meadow struck off by GMC

2 of 3

the same family were closer to

200 to one.
The panel's chairman, Mary
Clark-Glass, said Sir Roy was
an eminent paediatrician.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4685511.stm

years after being wrongly

convicted of killing her son and
daughter
Trupti Patel: Cleared of killing
three of her children

But she added: "You should not have strayed into areas that
were not within your remit of expertise."
The panel had earlier decided Sir Roy had not meant to
mislead the Clark trial, but said his evidence had done so
because it "erroneously implied" two natural deaths in a family
would have to be independent of one another.
Giving evidence to the hearing, Sir Roy defended the
calculations he used to arrive at the 73 million to one figure.
But he said he regretted comparing the odds of two cot deaths
in the same family to that of a punter successfully backing an
80-1 shot at the Grand National four years in a row.
Respect
Sir Roy also gave evidence as an expert witness in the trials of
two other women, Angela Cannings and Donna Anthony, who
were both freed on appeal after being convicted of murdering
their children.
Angela Cannings described the GMC decision as "fantastic"
news, and called on Sir Roy to apologise.
"It's an immense relief that justice has been done."
"It is recognition for what he did wrong to us as a family, what
he did wrong to the Clark family, what he has done wrong to
other families."
George Hawks, solicitor for Donna Anthony, said: "She is not
vindictive. She just wanted him to acknowledge he had got it
wrong in her case and offer her an apology."
The hearing had heard testimonies from leading paediatricians
in support of Sir Roy, who retains a great deal of respect
within the medical profession.
Professor Sir Alan Craft, President of the Royal College of
Paediatrics and Child Health, said the decision to strike Sir Roy
off was "saddening".
He added: "He has had a long and distinguished career in
paediatrics in which he has undoubtedly saved the lives of
many children.
"We must be clear however that this hearing focussed solely
on the evidence he gave in one particular court case. It does
not reflect upon the rest of his career."
Sir Alan said the role of expert witnesses had to be examined
urgently so improvements can be made and confidence in the
system could be re-established.

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version

FEATURES, VIEWS, ANALYSIS

10/03/2013 11:36

BBC NEWS | Health | Sir Roy Meadow struck off by GMC

3 of 3

Ghost town
Has China's housing
bubble burst?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4685511.stm

The guerilla plant

How the world's oldest
clove tree defied an
empire

Walking away
Why Royal Ballet
principal Sergei
Polunin quit

Most Popular Now

The most shared story right now is: What happened to Romania's orphans?

PRODUCTS & SERVICES

E-mail news

Mobiles

Alerts

News feeds

Interactive TV

MMIX

Podcasts
Back to top ^^

Help

Privacy and cookies policy

News sources

About the BBC

Contact us

10/03/2013 11:36