Five cases of child murder to be reopened
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《英国医生杂志》
Only five women convicted of murdering their children are to have their cases reopened after a review of more than 100 convictions of parents and carers in which paediatrician Professor Roy Meadow gave evidence, said the attorney general, Lord Goldsmith.
The government announced the review after Angela Cannings, convicted of the murder of two of her children, was freed on appeal in January this year. Her appeal followed the collapse of the prosecution case against Trupti Patel, accused of murdering her three babies. In that case, the dictum known as "Meadow抯 law" was heavily criticised. The theory holds that one infant death in a family is a tragedy, two are grounds for suspicion, and three, unless proved otherwise, are murder.
Sally Clark, also convicted of murdering her children partly on the strength of Professor Meadow抯 evidence, was also freed on appeal last year. Professor Meadow will appear before the General Medical Council this summer to face charges of serious professional misconduct, and could be struck off. The exact nature of the complaint against him is still confidential.
In January the government announced a review of 258 convictions relating to infant deaths in which paediatricians?evidence might have been flawed. It was widely anticipated that dozens at least would be given leave to appeal. But Lord Goldsmith said that only five convictions had been judged potentially unsafe.
"Letters have been sent to the legal representatives of five convicted persons, notifying them that it may be appropriate for the safety of their clients?convictions to be considered further by the Court of Appeal or, if appropriate, the Criminal Cases Review Commission," said the attorney general. "Two of those convicted are sentenced to life imprisonment and remain in custody. Two have already unsuccessfully sought to appeal their convictions."
He said the review was now well advanced, with over 100 cases studied, although the number of cases to be reviewed had risen to 298 because of a decision to include convictions involving carers as well as parents. Fifty three of the cases involve women who are still in prison, and 38 of these have been reviewed. Lord Goldsmith said that the highest priority cases had been examined first.
He added that the Crown Prosecution Service has identified 16 current prosecution files potentially affected by the Cannings and Patel cases, and two have been dropped.
The children抯 minister, Margaret Hodge, is conducting her own review of previous abuse cases in which children were taken into care or adopted. She has said, however, that even if parents are found to be innocent, their children may not be returned if they have made new lives elsewhere.
One prominent case was pre-empted when Maxine Robinson admitted two weeks ago from prison that her 1995 conviction for the murder of two of her children was in fact correct, and that she had also previously smothered her first child.
Professor Meadow has not personally commented on the GMC charges against him, but last weekend he spoke to his MP, David Curry, the Conservative member for Skipton and Ripon, who told the Independent newspaper that Professor Meadow believed "the brutal criticism he has received will make consultants reluctant to pursue" allegations of child abuse (8 May, p 16). Mr Curry said Professor Meadow was "asking that he is judged on a fair basis with the whole of his career now on trial."(London Owen Dyer)
The government announced the review after Angela Cannings, convicted of the murder of two of her children, was freed on appeal in January this year. Her appeal followed the collapse of the prosecution case against Trupti Patel, accused of murdering her three babies. In that case, the dictum known as "Meadow抯 law" was heavily criticised. The theory holds that one infant death in a family is a tragedy, two are grounds for suspicion, and three, unless proved otherwise, are murder.
Sally Clark, also convicted of murdering her children partly on the strength of Professor Meadow抯 evidence, was also freed on appeal last year. Professor Meadow will appear before the General Medical Council this summer to face charges of serious professional misconduct, and could be struck off. The exact nature of the complaint against him is still confidential.
In January the government announced a review of 258 convictions relating to infant deaths in which paediatricians?evidence might have been flawed. It was widely anticipated that dozens at least would be given leave to appeal. But Lord Goldsmith said that only five convictions had been judged potentially unsafe.
"Letters have been sent to the legal representatives of five convicted persons, notifying them that it may be appropriate for the safety of their clients?convictions to be considered further by the Court of Appeal or, if appropriate, the Criminal Cases Review Commission," said the attorney general. "Two of those convicted are sentenced to life imprisonment and remain in custody. Two have already unsuccessfully sought to appeal their convictions."
He said the review was now well advanced, with over 100 cases studied, although the number of cases to be reviewed had risen to 298 because of a decision to include convictions involving carers as well as parents. Fifty three of the cases involve women who are still in prison, and 38 of these have been reviewed. Lord Goldsmith said that the highest priority cases had been examined first.
He added that the Crown Prosecution Service has identified 16 current prosecution files potentially affected by the Cannings and Patel cases, and two have been dropped.
The children抯 minister, Margaret Hodge, is conducting her own review of previous abuse cases in which children were taken into care or adopted. She has said, however, that even if parents are found to be innocent, their children may not be returned if they have made new lives elsewhere.
One prominent case was pre-empted when Maxine Robinson admitted two weeks ago from prison that her 1995 conviction for the murder of two of her children was in fact correct, and that she had also previously smothered her first child.
Professor Meadow has not personally commented on the GMC charges against him, but last weekend he spoke to his MP, David Curry, the Conservative member for Skipton and Ripon, who told the Independent newspaper that Professor Meadow believed "the brutal criticism he has received will make consultants reluctant to pursue" allegations of child abuse (8 May, p 16). Mr Curry said Professor Meadow was "asking that he is judged on a fair basis with the whole of his career now on trial."(London Owen Dyer)