Doctor In Court Over Teacher's Caesarean Death

A doctor has appeared in court charged with the manslaughter of a woman who died after giving birth by emergency Caesarean section.

Errol Cornish, 67, attended Sevenoaks Magistrates' Court along with Glenn Douglas, chief executive of Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, which is accused of corporate manslaughter over the death of Frances Cappuccini.

It is the first time an NHS trust has been charged with the offence since it was introduced in 2008.

Mrs Cappuccini, 30, died at Tunbridge Wells Hospital in Pembury, Kent, after giving birth to her son by the emergency procedure on 9 October, 2012.

She was described as a "much-loved and dedicated" teacher at Offham School in Kent, where she took reception and early year classes.

Kent police announced last month the decision to prosecute South African-born consultant anaesthetist Cornish, along with Dr Nadeem Azeez, 52, for the gross negligence manslaughter of Mrs Cappuccini.

The force said an arrest warrant has been issued for Azeez, formerly of Chestnut Avenue, Tunbridge Wells, who has returned to Pakistan.

Douglas, 56, appearing for the trust, and Cornish, of Holmbury Park, Bromley, southeast London, spoke only to confirm their name and date of birth during the initial magistrates' hearing.

The case was committed to Maidstone Crown Court, with a preliminary hearing listed for 22 May.