Meadow faces mothers who he helped jail as baby killers
Three families whose lives were devastated by one of the country's most eminent and controversial paediatricians sat in silence yesterday as disciplinary charges were brought against him that could destroy his reputation.In one of the most high-profile hearings ever held by the General Medical Council, Professor Sir Roy Meadow is accused of using flawed and deeply misleading evidence to help convict a mother of the murders of her two babies.Sally Clark was jailed largely on the paediatrician's now infamous assertion that the chance of two babies dying of cot death within an affluent family was one in 73 million. The real figure, it emerged yesterday, was one in 77.Mrs Clark's father, who brought the action against Prof Meadow, said yesterday that she was "improving slowly" following her release from prison two years ago. "It will take a long time," he said.Two other mothers who were wrongly convicted of murdering their children largely on Prof Meadow's evidence attended the hearing yesterday, demanding apologies for the years of trauma they suffered. Both Angela Cannings and Donna Anthony said they were still trying to rebuild their lives."The nightmare continues," said Mrs Anthony, 31, who was convicted of killing her daughter, Jordan, and son, Michael, and who served nearly seven years in prison before being freed on appeal. "For me, this is too little, too late. "Mrs Cannings, 42, served 18 months for smothering her sons, Jason and Matthew, before her conviction was quashed two years ago. Outside the hearing, she said: "My mind flashed back to my trial where I found myself stood in the dock, stunned and shocked that I was in a courtroom. Now finally he is having to be answerable for what he has done."If we don't get a positive outcome, I will take it further, and go to whoever I need to in this country." Prof Meadow, 72, who was knighted eight years ago, arrived at the hearing in central London to jeers from a waiting crowd.
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