The inquests into the deaths of 68 patients linked to jailed surgeon Ian Paterson may limit how often he gives evidence after the coroner considered a request to restrict his appearances. Judge Richard Foster has said he "agreed in principle" to allow 10 days for Paterson to prepare between evidence sessions and will issue a written ruling. Families reacted with dismay at any concessions, calling the process painful, while court papers warn the inquests could run to mid-2028.
Jailed Surgeon Ian Paterson May Be Limited To Giving Evidence Three Times A Month As Inquests Continue
Ian Paterson had requested to only give evidence at two inquests a month for "physical and mental health reasons" [PA Media]
Ian Paterson, the jailed surgeon at the centre of inquiries into the deaths of 68 former patients, may be restricted in how frequently he gives evidence during the long-running inquests, a court heard.
The disgraced doctor, serving a 20-year sentence for wounding patients through botched and unnecessary operations, has been attending hearings by video link from prison. The inquests began in October 2024 and are exploring the care and procedures that led to dozens of deaths.
Coroner Considers Request To Limit Appearances
On Wednesday, the coroner, Judge Richard Foster, considered an application Paterson submitted in June asking to be allowed to attend only two inquests per month. Judge Foster said he had "agreed in principle" to give Paterson 10 days to prepare between giving evidence and that he sympathised with the surgeon's need for time to prepare. He will issue a written decision in due course.
Shirley Moroney (right), whose sister Marie Pinfield (left) is one of the women whose deaths are being investigated, was upset at the decision [Family]
At the earlier June hearing — into the death of 29-year-old Tracey Taylor of Solihull — Paterson cited "physical and mental health reasons" for the request, saying he was almost 70 years old and could not manage more than two inquests a month. He also told the court: "As you've denied me legal funding, I don't want to use my limited resources."
Families React
Relatives of those who died responded with dismay at any concession. Shirley Moroney, whose sister Marie Pinfield is among those whose deaths are being investigated, told the BBC that any accommodation for Paterson felt like repeatedly giving in to him: "It hurts; it feels as though we are allowing the tail to wag the dog." Moroney said her sister, a child protection officer with West Midlands Police, died in October 2008 of metastatic breast cancer.
Scope and Timetable
Court documents suggest the hearings could extend as far as mid-2028 in a "worst case" scenario, though they note that "matters may in fact progress more quickly." Judge Foster described the inquests as "unprecedented in terms of scale, complexity and volume of documents."
Paterson was jailed in 2017 and given a 20-year sentence for harming patients with unnecessary and flawed procedures. He is due for release on licence in May 2027 after serving half his sentence. The majority of affected patients were from Birmingham, Warwickshire and Staffordshire.
Key fact: The inquests examine the deaths of 68 patients linked to Paterson's private practice and are among the largest and most complex of their kind in recent UK legal history.
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