Gosport hospital deaths: Police 'should be accountable' over failed probes

Police should be held to account for failed investigations into "inhumane" deaths at Gosport War Memorial Hospital, a patient's relative said.

A 2018 inquiry found three investigations by Hampshire police into 92 of more than 450 patient deaths were "consistently poor".

David Wilson, whose aunt died in 2001, said police acted "corruptly" when they could have prevented further deaths.

The force said it investigated such allegations but found no evidence.

More than 450 elderly patients were found to have died after being given "dangerous" levels of opioid painkillers over a 14-year period from 1997, the inquiry found.

No charges have ever been brought, but the deaths of 700 patients are now being investigated by Operation Magenta.

Kent and Essex Police is leading this fourth probe, which Hampshire Constabulary has said it was assisting.

Many patients who died had been sent to the hospital to recover from operations, including Mr Wilson's 86-year-old aunt Dulcie Middleton.

He said the investigations by Hampshire police meant patients continued to die at the hospital for a further three years after the initial complaint to officers in 1998 by Gillian McKenzie, who claimed her 91-year-old mother Gladys Richards had been unlawfully killed.

The way patients were treated was "inhumane", said Mr Wilson, of Sarisbury Green.

"They wouldn't have been subjected to that if the police had done what they were supposed to do."

He added: "Officers should be being held accountable."

Mr Wilson filed a complaint to Hampshire Constabulary's Anti-Corruption Unit detailing allegations of corruption and misconduct against officers, including that they suppressed evidence and failed to obtain independent reports.

The response he received from the force, which has been seen by the BBC, said a "significant period of time" had been spent reviewing the information he provided but had shown there was no evidence to suggest the officers' actions were corrupt.

The force's letter also stated some officers involved in previous investigations "were subject to disciplinary proceedings concerning an apparent failure to properly investigate".

"There is a clear difference between an officer who has not done a job properly and an officer who is corrupt," it said, adding it had concluded there was "insufficient information to justify initiating a criminal investigation".

In a statement, Hampshire Constabulary said it had met with Mr Wilson three times since June and "engaged in considerable dialogue" with him.

"We take what he is alleging himself, and on behalf of others, very seriously and have reviewed a number of files of paperwork that he has provided for evidence of corruption in line with his allegation.

"[Kent and Essex Police's] investigation continues and we have shared, and continue to share, everything with them."

Dr Jane Barton, who oversaw the practice of prescribing painkillers on the wards at Gosport War Memorial Hospital, was disciplined by the General Medical Council in 2010 for serious professional misconduct, but she was not struck off and retired soon afterwards.

She previously said the consultants in charge knew what she was doing and that she was doing her best in an inadequately resourced part of the health service.

Dr Barton also said she was under unreasonable and increasing pressure and patients were too poorly for rehabilitation.