A breast surgeon who carried out wholly unnecessary operations on patients has been jailed today for 15 years.

Ian Paterson apparently showed no remorse whatsoever during the trial for the countless victims who had his full trust and confidence. The exact motives remain unclear but it has been suggested that financial gain was a significant factor.

The case was heard at Nottingham Crown Court

The case deals a significant blow to the NHS. The compensation due to victims is almost £10million but 25 patients are still awaiting payout. Furthermore the whole affair raises serious questions regarding complaint procedures that appeared to consistently fail during Paterson’s reign of terror.

The criminal case centred around sections 18 (wounding) and 20 (wounding with intent) of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861. These are two of the most serious violent offences that a person can be charged with short of murder.