A disgraced breast surgeon who exaggerated or even invented the risk of cancer in order to persuade patients to undergo surgery has been sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Ian Stuart Paterson, Consultant Surgeon, was convicted of 17 counts of wounding with intent earlier this month, relating to 9 women and one man, together with three further wounding charges.

Jurors found that Mr Paterson carried out “extensive, life changing operations for no medically justifiable reason”. He was accused of carrying out pointless surgery for “obscure motives” which it is believed included a desire to earn extra money.

It is understood that Mr Paterson would lie to his patients and exaggerate or even invent the risk of cancer in order to convince them to go under the knife. Mr Paterson was employed by the Heart of England NHS trust in 1998 and he practised at Spire Healthcare Hospitals in the Midlands over a 13 year period.

More than 250 of Mr Paterson’s patients have already received compensation but it is thought that more than 1000 additional victims have also been affected by Mr Paterson’s actions.

Lois Harrison, a Solicitor in the Medical Negligence Department at Blythe Liggins said: “Mr Paterson’s actions are shocking and cruel. He used his position to prey on innocent victims who were at their most vulnerable, when told by a supposed professional that they were suffering with cancer and needed extensive treatment. The ramifications of his actions will be felt by so many forever more”.

Caption: Lois Harrison, Medical Negligence Department.