Inquest told Howard Martin patients died after "inappropriate" morphine dose

Feb 4 2010 by Neil McKay, The Journal

TWO patients of Dr Howard Martin died within hours of him giving them “inappropriate” levels of morphine, an inquest was told yesterday.

Forensic toxicologist Professor Alexander Forrest said a glass of whisky and lemon would have been more suitable for one of the County Durham GP’s patients.

Prof Forrest, one of the country’s leading experts in his field, was giving evidence at the third day of a joint inquest into three of Dr Martin’s patients, Frank Moss, 59, Harry Gittins, 74, and Stanley Weldon, 74, all from County Durham.

Dr Martin, 75, was acquitted of murdering all three in December 2005.

A legal challenge by Mr Moss’s daughter Alison resulted in a judge ordering a new inquest into his death, and subsequently those of the other patients.

All three men had been patients of Dr Martin, when he was a partner at the Jubilee Medical Group, which had surgeries in Newton Aycliffe, Shildon and Eldon, all south Durham.

Yesterday Prof Forrest told the hearing at Chester-le-Street magistrates court that he believed three 60 millilitre doses of morphine prescribed to Mr Moss, a lung cancer sufferer of Eldon, Bishop Auckland, hastened his death.

Prof Forrest said the dosage of morphine Dr Martin prescribed to Mr Moss was “totally inappropriate for pain management and stress management.”

The inquest, which resumes today, is expected to last over a month. Dr Martin, 75, who lives in North Wales, is due to give evidence on March 5.