Patel jailed for seven years by Oz court

Natasha Chaku
Melbourne, Jul 1 (PTI) Indian-origin doctor Jayant
Patel, dubbed as "Dr Death", was on Thursday sentenced to
seven years in jail after being convicted by an Australian
court of manslaughter that led to the death of three patients.
The 60-year-old, now a US citizen, was sentenced to
seven years for each case of manslaughter and three years for
grievous bodily harm, to be served concurrently.
The sentence was handed out Justice John Byrne of
the Queensland state's supreme court in Brisbane. Queensland
law allows prisoners to apply for parole after they serve 50
per cent of their sentence.
Ealier Prosecution had asked the jury to sentence
Patel, dubbed as "Dr Death" to at least 10 years in jail for
the manslaughter of three patients at Bundaberg's Base
Hospital between 2003 and 2005.
Prosecutor Ross Martin said Patel had a history of
professional misconduct charges in the USA dating back to 1982
and asked for a sentence of at least 10 years, less time Patel
served in the US awaiting extradition.
However, Patel's lawyer Michael Byrne said his client
had been vilified and shamed and jail would be particularly
harsh.
He said Patel should serve four to five years with the
term wholly suspended or suspended after a short time.
The case that has gained an immense interest across
Australia has prompted Rural Doctors Association of Queensland
(RDAQ) warning that the Patel trial has made it harder to
attract doctors to the state.
RDAQ spokesman Dan Halliday said one of the legacies
of the case has been more stringent vetting of
overseas-trained doctors.
He said about 50 per cent of doctors in rural and
regional areas are from overseas and the extra checks on their
credentials have made some doctors look elsewhere.
"I know of a couple of instances specifically where
I believe suitably trained doctors have gone elsewhere, mainly
due to the red tape that has been associated with them
practising in Queensland," he said.
"We believe that the processes that they've put in
place on some cases are too onerous and too restrictive, which
has prevented a number of medical owners and practitioners
staying in, and coming to, Queensland. PTI