Statement by Dr Evan Harris MP

HARRIS - Southall verdict has major implications for security of paediatricians doing child protection work

Embargo: Immediate – 4th December 2007

Contact: Dr Evan Harris MP (pager) 07699 730 635

Becky Purvis 020 7219 5128 / 07738 014 500

Dr Evan Harris MP, who has been supporting Dr Southall (and before him Prof Roy Meadow) against a campaign of vilification by campaign groups, and defending paediatricians who perform child protection work, said:

"In the light of the GMC finding that Dr Southall accused a grieving mother (Mrs M) of murdering her son (M1) during an interview on 27th April 1998 undertaken as part of child care proceedings, I am not surprised that the GMC has decided that it was Serious Professional Misconduct and has struck him off. "

"To erase Dr Southall from the Medical Register is still disproportionate to the alleged offence but the real problem here is how the GMC could possibly have found that that charge was proved beyond reasonable doubt when it was the word of two experienced professionals that it had not happened against that of a woman who clearly had antipathy towards Dr Southall."

"This verdict is a serious miscarriage of justice and has major implications for the security of paediatricians doing vital and difficult child protection work, and who now cannot rely on the presence of a chaperone or 3rd party witness to defend themselves against potentially false or malicious charges, which occur in abundance in this fraught area."

"The planned reduction of the burden of proof to the civil standard (balance of probabilities) would make matters even worse"

"The interests of children who are at risk requires paediatricians to be willing to come forward and the failure of the Government and the authorities to stem the campaign against child protection paediatricians is a scandal in itself which has real implications for child welfare."

ENDS

Evan Harris was a member of the Science and Technology Select Committee which conducted an inquiry into expert witnesses as part of the Seventh Report of the session 2004-2005 published on 29th March 2005 – Forensic Science on Trial – section 7 considers expert witnesses. (Available here)