Doctor accused of more killings

A DOCTOR charged with killing an elderly widow and forging her will has been charged with three more murders.

Dr Harold Shipman, a GP from the Hyde area of Manchester, was in custody last night charged with killing another three women, all his former patients.

The bodies of Joan Melia and Winifred Mellor, both 73, andBianka Pomfret, 49, were exhumed by police last month after Dr Shipman was charged with the murder of anotherpatient, Kathleen Grundy, 81.

He is also charged with obtaining cash and property worth pounds 300,000 by forging a will and two letters.

The detective in charge of the case said police working on the investigation were using a specially trained bereavement officer.

Detective Superintendent Bernard Postles said in a statement read outside Ashton-under-Lyne police station that he expected a "lengthy inquiry, with many different and difficult areas of investigation".

Det Supt Postles said he wanted to reassure members of the local community and the relatives and patients of Dr Shipman. "At this stage we are confident we have made contact with those families whose relatives' deaths come within the scope of the inquiry."

Dr Shipman, 52, of Roe Cross Green, Mottram, Tameside, broke down in tears as he was led from the court.