Fury as butcher surgeon moved to open prison and sister slams 'scandal'
A “butcher” surgeon who carried out unnecessary breast operations on more than 1,000 women will serve the rest of his sentence in an open prison, it was revealed today. Victims of Ian Paterson and their loved ones were left angry by the move, with one describing it as a “scandal”.
Paterson is serving a 20-year jail term after his 2017 conviction for crimes which took place over 14 years. He left terrified patients fearing there was "something in the water" after incorrectly telling scores they had cancer.
It comes as a huge inquest is due to start next month, looking at the deaths of more than 60 women previously under Paterson’s care. It is expected to last for two years and will consider whether they died unnatural deaths as a result of his actions.
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On Saturday, the BBC reported Paterson would be moving to a Category D open prison. Shirley Maronie, whose sister Marie Pinfield died after she was operated on by Paterson, told the broadcaster she was "devastated".
"It feels to me that if you had a thug that had gone to a pub and caused GBH to ten people we would never have given them any soft options,” she said. “But because you are a manipulative surgeon you get a fast pass to getting out of prison. It is a scandal."
Some families claimed they were not told of the prison move in advance. A Prison Service spokesperson apologised and insisted assessments had been carried out.
“We apologise for this miscommunication and any distress it may have caused,” a statement read. “Any decisions to move an offender to open conditions are made by prison governors after strict risk assessments. If they step out of line they face being returned to closed conditions immediately.”
In March 2022, Debbie Douglas, who suffered at the hands of the jailed surgeon, told of her fear Paterson could be out of prison as soon as 2027. She said there was “no way” he should be released after serving half his sentence.
"This man is really evil," she said. "He could be out in 2027. My fight is to make sure he doesn't come out. I'm going to keep on fighting because there's no way he should come out."
Coroner Richard Foster, who will preside over the inquest, previously said he “had reason to believe” sub-standard care by Paterson had caused or contributed to the deaths of women. The inquest will start on October 7.
The once-leading surgeon worked for the NHS in Birmingham and Solihull. He built a practice at two private hospitals run by Spire Healthcare.
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