Breast op butcher’s jail term increased from 15 to 20 years
A SURGEON who did hundreds of needless breast operations had his 15-year jail sentence increased to 20 years yesterday.
Ian Paterson, dubbed a “butcher” after leaving victims scarred and disfigured, was ordered to serve five years more by the Appeal Court.
His trial in May heard he had a “God complex”, lying to some of his victims that they had breast cancer and needed mastectomies.
He was convicted of wounding with intent and unlawful wounding of 10 patients.
Yesterday three appeal judges said the 15 years imposed at Nottingham Crown Court was “unduly lenient”.
Lady Justice Hallett, Mrs Justice Carr and Mr Justice Goss made the ruling after the case was referred to them by the Solicitor General Robert Buckland.
The 20-year sentence was welcomed last night by one of Paterson’s victims, Diane Green, who suffered two needless mastectomies.
She said: “I lost everything – my home, my job, my marriage as a result of what this man did. While no amount of jail time can make up for what he did, the original sentence of 15 years was never going to be enough for butchering hundreds of women.
“It is encouraging to see the Court of Appeal listening to victims.”
Paterson, 59, of Altrincham, Greater Manchester, watched proceedings via videolink from prison.
The decision to increase the sentence was announced by Lady Justice Hallett, who said: “Both the harm and culpability were exceptionally high.”
After the ruling, Mr Buckland said: “We are told and expected to trust doctors. Paterson woefully abused that trust – he deliberately preyed on people’s worst fears, then mutilated them on the operating table.
“I hope the increased sentence will help bring some closure for them.”
His trial heard evidence from nine women and a man treated privately at Little Aston and Parkway hospitals in the West Midlands between 1997 and 2011.
Victims told the court they had been left in constant pain and struggled to trust medical professionals.