London, March 18, 2004
Dr Narendra Sinha, 68, from Liverpool, gave 63-year-old
Maureen Lyth more than three times the safe level of the drug. He is
accused of manslaughter over the death of Maureen Lyth. The court was
told that Sinha was working in Ellesmere Port when he was called to
Lyth's home by her husband John in September 2001. A jury at the Chester
Crown Court convicted the "careless and grossly negligent"
general practitioner of manslaughter.
He gave Mrs Lyth a 30mg injection of morphine sulphate
in arm. But Leighton Davies QC, for the prosecution, told the court
the patient suffered from kidney problems and should have been given
less than 10mg of the drug. Mr Davies said Sinha refused to read Mrs
Lyth's medical notes, even though her husband explained her medical
condition. He also presented him with a chart of the 12 forms of medication
she took each day.
Leigton Davies QC had previously told the jury that
Mrs Lyth was "plagued by medical conditions" including severe
arthritis and chronic and advanced kidney failure. When the doctor was
called out, she was inpain from arthritis in her knee and painkillers
were not taking effect.
Timothy King, for the defence, argued that Sinha had
increased the dose because Mrs Lyth weighed more than 14 stone. He said
it was not uncommon for doctors to increase the dose for patients with
a larger build. Judge Justice Harrison told Sinha, who is currently
on bail, that he could face a prison sentence.
Dr. Sinha, who trained in India before emigrating to
Britain in 1969, that he faced a possible prison term when he returned
to court for sentencing next month.