Latest from the Tomlinson inquest

The latest developments from the courtroom as they happen, as the pathologists who conducted postmortems on Ian Tomlinson’s body continue their evidence 10.51am: Dr Nat Cary, the second pathologist to conduct a postmortem on Tomlinson’s body, has taken the witness stand . Cary was instructed by solicitors for Tomlinson’s family and the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC). He has a very long list of qualifications (no room to repeat them here) and has been on the Home Office register of forensic pathologists for 18 years. He has a moustache, and is wearing a light pink shirt and a grey tie. He is being questioned by Alison Hewitt , counsel to the inquest. When Cary conducted his examination – on 9 April 2009 – more information as to the circumstances of Tomlinson’s death, including this video footage showing his encounter with PC Simon Harwood , were available. Cary: I suppose the most important information I had was that clearly Mr Tomlinson had been involved in police contact shortly before he collapsed. And I don’t think that was known to Dr Patel at the time he carried out his examination. Hewitt: Had you seen prior to your postmortem the piece of footage of that contact between Mr Tomlinson and PC Harwood? Cary: Yes, because I watch the television quite a lot. 10.36am: We heard on Tuesday that a sample of the fluid found in Tomlinson’s abdomen was inadvertently discarded . A juror had asked a question about this mix-up, to which Thornton has replied that Patel took the sample in case he was unable to obtain a blood sample from elsewhere. Patel was able to take another blood sample, rendering the fluid less important. As a result the sample, which we would all have liked to have, of the fluid in the abdomen was, according to Dr Patel, discarded. It was not needed. So when the issue arose later about the proportions of blood [and bodily] fluid, he went back to see if the sample was available, and it was not. 10.31am: Patel has had to postpone his evidence due to illness, again. He arrived at the hearing but was “not 100%” and has gone home. He is scheduled to reappear on Monday morning, judge Peter Thornton QC said. It is nothing to do with this hearing or any questions he has been asked. It is not a trivial thing, but it is something he has been suffering from some time which has re-occurred. 10.30am: Some slight delays here. Remember you can also follow proceedings via Twitter . 10.10am: A quick clarification. I said yesterday that Patel altered his description of the level of blood found in fluid in Tomlinon’s abdomen a year after his initial postmortem. Elsewhere I have explained the crucial importance of the “extent of blood” found in Tomlinson’s abdomen. To be clear, Patel did not alter his original notes. The new description of the fluid appeared, as we explained correctly on Wednesday , in his second, amended report. 9.58am: The thirteenth day of evidence in the Ian Tomlinson inquest is about to start. Dr Freddy Patel , the controversial pathologist who concluded Tomlinson died of a spontaneous arrhythmic heart attack at the G20 protests is expected to finish his testimony shortly. You can read his evidence over the last three days here , here and here . Next up will be Dr Nat Cary , the second pathologist to conduct a postmortem on Tomlinson’s body. The jury has heard how Cary (along with two other forensic pathologists) contradicted Patel’s findings, concluding instead that he died of internal bleeding in the abdomen. Ian Tomlinson Police G20 Protest London Dr Freddy Patel Paul Lewis guardian.co.uk

Posted by on April 15, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.