'Dr Death' inquiry widens

Shipman is serving life sentences for 15 murders

LONDON, England -- Police are investigating the deaths of 62 patients of British serial killer doctor Harold Shipman amid fears he may have killed almost 300.

Detectives in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, have started contacting relatives of patients whose deaths were regarded as suspicious.

Shipman, 54, is serving life sentences after being convicted last year of the murders of 15 elderly women patients by diamorphine injections.

The 62 deaths are cases not covered by the original massive police inquiry into Shipman.

A clinical audit commissioned by the UK Department of Health and published last week said that Shipman could have been responsible for the deaths of up to 300 patients.

Detective Chief Superintendent Bernard Postles said that following the audit police had carried out a comparison between the highly suspicious and suspicious cases listed in the audit and the deaths originally investigated.

South Manchester Coroner John Pollard this week returned verdicts of unlawful killing on two women patients of Shipman who were cremated.

Inquests on a further 22 former patients are being held over the next three months. Similar verdicts were recorded last year on three women whose bodies were exhumed.

The latest verdicts raised the possibility that many more relatives could come forward to demand inquests.

The Crown Prosecution Service has already ruled out a further prosecution of Shipman.

A lawyer representing families of some of Shipman's former patients, Emma Smith, said: "The families who have had doubts surrounding their relatives' deaths since Shipman's conviction need some certainty and it is pleasing to note the way in which the police have decided to approach this situation."

An examination of Shipman's clinical records found that Shipman had certified 297 more deaths among his patients than doctors in similar practices.

The audit said that, allowing for error, the figure could be as high as 345, but the true excess could be 236 -- the number relating to patients who died at home.

A public inquiry headed by High Court judge Dame Janet Smith is due to look at all aspects of Shipman's crimes, including how he was able to conceal the tell-tale statistics from medical authorities.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Shipman: The silent suburban slayer
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Shell-shocked families call for confession
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Families call for 'Dr. Death' confession
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UK doctor may have killed 297
January 5, 2001
Britain plans wide probe of serial killer doctor
February 1, 2000

UK Department of Health
UK Police

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