GP killed by 'lonely heart' respondent: Doctor beaten to death by man she met through advertisement

A SUCCESSFUL GP was battered to death by a man she had met through a 'lonely hearts' column, an Old Bailey court was told yesterday.

Her killer, Brian Vale, 45, a former civilian police worker of Bethnal Green, east London, was remanded in custody for medical reports after the court accepted his plea of guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. He had denied murder. Vale had repeatedly struck Dr Ann Mead's head on the pavement after she told him their five-month relationship was over in October last year.

Dr Mead, 35, was a popular and successful GP working in south-east London. She lived alone, was independent and worked hard for long hours, John Nutting, for the prosecution, said. It restricted her social life, although she enjoyed the company of friends who regarded her with warmth and affection. But she wanted children and had not found anyone with whom to share her life.

'Not without some hesitation', she decided to put an advert in the New Statesman magazine. It read: 'London woman, likes theatre, cinema, long country walks, cosy pubs, seeks male for companionship.'

Mr Nutting said that after marriage and relationship failures, Vale had 'sought the company of young women through lonely heart clubs'. He had described himself as an 'easy-going, warm, affectionate, a little reserved, with a good sense of humour'. Dr Mead's advertisement appealed to him and he was one of six replies. But it quickly became clear that while she had affection for him, 'he felt more strongly for her than she did for him'. She wanted occasional meetings and he wanted a lasting relationship. According to Graham Boal, for Vale, 'he became her secret lover in the sense she could not show him off to her friends'.

After an argument at a party, it became clear Dr Mead wanted to end the relationship. Vale told his flatmate he thought she was using him.

On the night she died, Dr Mead met a woman doctor friend for dinner in Soho, central London. Vale had left a message on her telephone answering machine that he would see her when she returned. He sat on her doorstep, playing his radio from 11pm. When, nearly three hours later, she arrived back at her home in Camberwell, he angrily ordered her from her car. When she told him it was over he snapped and began hitting her, causing violent head injuries.

Vale told police he had not wanted to hurt her. 'She was the last thing I had in life and she was taking it away.' He had been suspended from his job as property officer with the Metropolitan Police and had lost the chance of taking a course in politics at London University after a misunderstanding over a grant.

Vale was examined after the killing by three psychiatrists and two psychologists. 'All conclude that he was substantially diminished in responsibility for his action at the material time,' Mr Nutting said. Vale was remanded for further medical reports and will appear for sentence on 8 September.