Try GOLD - Free
Woman not aware that 'cleavage-sparing' mastectomy unauthorised, inquest hears
The Guardian
|October 23, 2024
The convicted breast surgeon Ian Paterson pitched one of his patients an unauthorised cleavage-sparing mastectomy "almost like a sales job", an inquest has heard.
Chloe Nikitas, an environmental consultant from Tamworth, died in 2008 at age 43 from breast cancer that had returned three years after having a mastectomy that she believed had removed all of her breast tissue.
She is the first of 62 patients operated on by Paterson whose deaths are being investigated as part of one of the largest inquests in British history, to find out whether the surgeon's actions caused their deaths.
Paterson, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence after being convicted of multiple counts of wounding in 2017, refused to attend Nikitas's inquest yesterday.
A prison supervisor told the hearing that he had a 20-minute conversation with Paterson yesterday morning, in which the 66-year-old former surgeon said the "coroner isn't investigating fairly", he felt he wasn't being "listened to" and the proceedings were "biased".
Judge Richard Foster, who is leading the inquests, can impose a fine of up to £1,000, refer Paterson for possible prosecution or refer him to the attorney general for contempt of court.
This story is from the October 23, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Subscribe to Magzter GOLD to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 10,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
MORE STORIES FROM The Guardian
The Guardian
Rubio to visit Rome amid talk of intent to 'thaw' relations with US
The US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, is to travel to Rome this week for a visit reportedly aimed at thawing frosty relations with the Italian government and the Vatican.
2 mins
May 04, 2026
The Guardian
Grand design at fixed rent
Casa Milà's last resident on almost 40 years of life in a Gaudí apartment block
3 mins
May 04, 2026
The Guardian
Richarlison heads Spurs towards safety after Emery gets it all wrong
Roberto De Zerbi had told his Tottenham players to silence the voices competing for their attention but his internal monologue would have been extremely good value at Villa Park.
3 mins
May 04, 2026
The Guardian
Holbein’s mystery sitter may be Anne Boleyn, AI analysis finds
They are two small sketches by the Renaissance master Hans Holbein: one has long been considered to be a portrait of Henry VIII's doomed second wife, Anne Boleyn, and the other is of an unknown woman whose name was lost to time.
1 mins
May 04, 2026
The Guardian
Doubts over deal as Trump says Iran has 'not paid big enough price'
Donald Trump has cast doubt on the prospect of a diplomatic breakthrough in Iran by claiming the country had \"not yet paid a big enough price\" for its past wrongs.
4 mins
May 04, 2026
The Guardian
Beaver release Reform-run council backs move in spite of party policy
A Reform UK council has backed the release of wild beavers into the countryside, despite the party's opposition to rewilding.
1 mins
May 04, 2026
The Guardian
Brixton shooting and knife attack may be related
Police are investigating the possibility that the stabbing of a man and the shooting of four people in the same area of south London are linked.
1 min
May 04, 2026
The Guardian
Starmer aide held 16 undisclosed meetings with top US tech bosses
An influential government adviser close to Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves held 16 undisclosed meetings with top US tech executives, the Guardian can reveal.
4 mins
May 04, 2026
The Guardian
Woman and 16-year-old girl reported dead after trying to cross Channel
Two female asylum seekers from Sudan have died after trying to cross the Channel in the early hours of yesterday morning.
1 mins
May 04, 2026
The Guardian
Only 3% of suicides linked to domestic abuse result in prosecutions, police figures show
Only 3% of suicides related to domestic abuse in the past five years have resulted in any sort of prosecution, police figures show.
2 mins
May 04, 2026
Listen
Translate
Change font size