Former cabinet maker Ian Vowles had dreams of exotic cruises and outback camping trips as he and his wife Dorothy approached their 30th wedding anniversary. But these dreams were shattered when Ian met Dr Jayant Patel – the surgeon who would later be nicknamed Dr Death.
The maverick surgeon was last week found guilty on three charges of manslaughter, and a count of grievous bodily harm against Ian, and put behind bars for his crimes.
Ian’s testimony was a key to Patel’s conviction over the deaths of Mervyn Morris, Gerardus Kemps and James Phillips, caused by botched operations.
Patel was also charged over wrongly diagnosing Ian with cancer and removing his entire healthy, functioning bowel.
The jury’s guilty verdict, after a marathon 50-hour deliberation at the Queensland Supreme Court, was the end of a five-year ordeal for Ian.
“It’s been a long time coming, but I’m happy, not just for me, but for all the other victims and their families who have suffered,” Ian tells Woman’s Day in an exclusive interview at his Bundaberg home .
However, after the lengthy battle, Ian may find his relief to be shortlived. The residing Justice John Byrne has warned that Patel’s guilty verdicts might not survive the appeal his lawyers have flagged.
To read the full story see this week’s Woman’s Day, on sale July 5, 2010.
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