Sally Clark
PRESS STATEMENT BY THE CLARK FAMILY
GMC Hearing into Serious Professional Misconduct by Dr. Alan
Williams
24 January, 2005
This hearing in front of the General Medical Council's Professional Conduct
Committee has only come about as a result of the determination of Martin
Bell OBE (who was our MP at the time) to hold Dr. Williams to account for
his professional misconduct which resulted in the false prosecution of
Sally Clark.
Martin made his original complaint to the GMC more than 4 years ago, in
December 2000, and we are extremely disappointed that it has taken the GMC
so long to take any action against the doctor who we believe was primarily
responsible for what was described in the House of Commons as, "The worst
miscarriage of justice in recent history", and the fallout from which has
wrecked our lives and will ultimately cost the British taxpayer millions of
pounds.
Indeed, the GMC even tried to screen out Martin's complaint in January
2002, and it was only due to his remarkable persistence and the high
profile of Sally's case that the GMC has been forced into holding this
hearing at all.
We shall forever be in Martin's debt for his unwavering support, but we are
deeply concerned that the GMC has declined to take any action in respect of
some of the more serious of his complaints, and has emasculated a number
of the others. This is unfortunate, because it means that the Professional
Conduct Committee will not
have the opportunity to consider the full scope of Dr. Williams' medical
errors and professional misbehaviour, which were the subject of such
scathing criticism by the Court of Appeal in January 2003. As a result, we
fear that his actions may escape proper scrutiny.
For these reasons, we regret that we have little confidence in today's
hearing, as we believe that it will have the effect of protecting a doctor,
rather than the public (as it is supposed to do).
We will not be attending the hearing, giving any interviews or making any
further statements. We are trying to rebuild what is left of our lives and
to protect our surviving child from any more publicity. Whilst we thank the
media for their interest, we would ask, therefore, that they respect our
family's privacy.
Any media enquiries to Sue Stapely: 020 7834 6321