Pathologist in Ian Tomlinson G20 case suspended

The Home Office pathologist who ruled that Ian Tomlinson died of natural causes at the G20 protests has been suspended pending investigations into his professional conduct.

Freddy Patel, who conducted the first post-mortem examination on the newspaper vendor from east London and concluded he died of a heart attack, has been removed from the government
register of accredited forensic pathologists
amid concern as to whether he has breached regulations.

A second post-mortem by another pathologist found Mr Tomlinson died from internal bleeding in the stomach.

Video showed he had been struck with a baton and knocked to the ground by a policeman on 1 April.

Dr Patel found injuries on Mr Tomlinson's body but concluded he died of natural causes. The controversy over Dr Patel's involvement in the case prompted a review of his work by the Pathology Delivery Board, which monitors the Home Office register for the National Police Improvement Agency.

Officials are investigating a suggestion that Dr Patel was not a member of a group practice — a team of three or more forensic pathologists who check each other's work — as required by Home Office regulations.

They are also considering why Dr Patel was asked to do the post-mortem when he did not have a police contract. They will report to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Dr Patel's work has been criticised before. He concluded that the Camden Ripper's first victim died from natural causes in 2002.

Sally White, 39, was found locked in Anthony Hardy's north London flat with a bite mark to her thigh and a head wound, but the murder investigation was dropped when Dr Patel said she
died from a heart attack. Hardy went on to kill two more women. Dr Patel, who qualified as a surgeon in 1974 from the University of Zambia, refused to comment.