Hunt for evidence by Neale officers
25/05/2004

DETECTIVES who are re-examining the case of disgraced surgeon Richard Neale have hinted that they may be looking for new evidence.

Following a four-hour meeting with representatives of Neale's victims, a joint statement was issued by North Yorkshire police and the group of ex-patients.

In the statement, officers pledged to "energetically" reexamine existing evidence, consider whether new evidence could be gathered and search for the truth.

Detectives confirmed recently they are to re-examine evidence gathered against the former gynaecologist at the Friarage Hospital, Northallerton, North Yorkshire, following complaints by former patients about the conduct of an earlier investigation.

That inquiry was abandoned three years ago after the Crown Prosecution Service said there were no grounds for prosecution.

Before that, detectives had spent two years investigating allegations against the former head of obstetrics and gynaecology at the hospital.

Officers looked into the deaths of three of Neale's former patients and allegations of assault and deception.

Although Neale was struck off the medical register in 2000 after botching a string of operations and lying to patients, his victims have always felt aggrieved that no further action was taken against him in the courts.

Now, they have new hope of a possible prosecution.

Detective Chief Superintendent Steve Read of North Yorkshire Police, accompanied by a detective inspector, confirmed that the evidence would be looked at again.

But he said that officers would also carry out an assessment of whether other evidence could be gathered.

Victims are angry that Neale managed to get a job at the Northallerton hospital in 1985, despite being struck off in Canada after the death of two patients.

Last night, Sheila WrightHogeland, leader and founder of the support group, described the meeting with police as, "encouraging. . . a very good constructive meeting."

The support group's 300 strong members are aggrieved that officers never interviewed Neale.

The joint statement reads:

"The police will be undertaking an energetic re-examination of the evidence that's been gathered so far and an assessment of whether other evidence can be gathered.

This will be a search for the truth."

The surgeon has always denied wrongdoing and insisted that he was singled out unfairly.