Inquiry over claim doctor tried to buy baby

Jason Bennetto,Crime Correspondent
Tuesday 03 February 2004 01:00 GMT

A doctor is to be investigated over claims he offered to buy a seven-week-old baby girl from its mother and father.

The child had been taken to the GP's surgery, in Staffordshire, on Sunday by her parents, Adrian and Kelly Love, when the alleged incident is said to have taken place.

Mrs Love, 22, said she took her daughter, Emma, who had a chest complaint, to see the unnamed GP at the surgery.

She claimed yesterday: "I sat in the doctors' examination room and told him my baby's symptoms.

"He turned to me and said, 'you hand your baby over to me, I'm a very wealthy man. I have lots of money - you sell your baby to me'."

The allegation was reported to the police but after consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service no further action was taken.

The doctor has not been suspended and is thought to have strongly denied the allegation.

The complaint has been referred to the General Medical Council (GMC), which investigates allegations of professional misconduct.

Offering to buy a baby does not appear to be against the criminal law. However, it could break the civil adoption laws.

The chair of the co-operative where the GP involved in the alleged incident works, said that the doctor was continuing to practise.

He added: "I have not heard this doctor is suspended from any medical list and I'm not aware of anything untoward."

He continued: "We are making our own sort of inquiries."

A spokeswoman for primary care trust responsible for the surgery said: "We take the allegations which have been made very seriously.

"We will be conducting our own inquiries as well as working closely with the GP's co-operative and the GMC into any investigations which are carried out."

A Staffordshire Police spokesman said: "After consultation with the parents and Crown Prosecution Service, we have decided to refer the incident to the GMC.

"No further police investigation will go ahead unless it is referred back to us from the GMC."

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