'Abrupt and overpowering': Second inquest into death of Ian Paterson's patients hears from colleague

A surgeon who worked alongside disgraced breast surgeon Ian Paterson has described him as "overpowering", as he gave evidence at the second inquest into the deaths of his former patients.

Bala Subramanian worked alongside Paterson as a junior surgeon at Heartlands Hospital in Birmingham.

He said that twice a week, there would be meetings to discuss the treatment of individuals' patients.

This would involve a radiologist, consultant surgeon, oncologist and nurses.

At the time, Mr Subramanian was a junior consultant, and he described Paterson as "argumentative, abrupt and overpowering".

He said he was "abrupt and someone who wouldn’t take no for an answer", but he added that generally during meetings, everyone had their say.

Mr Subramanian was speaking on the first day of an inquest into the death of Elaine Turbill - the second inquest into the death of one of Paterson's victims.

Elaine Turbill who was 63 and from Solihull, was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a mastectomy carried out by Paterson the following month.

The inquest at Birmingham and Solihull Coroner's Court heard that Elaine, who worked as a legal secretary, had been married for 40 years and had two children.

In a statement, her daughter Gemma said her mother was a "kind, loving and friendly person whose smile lit up a room. She enjoyed going to church, cooking and gardening and loved family trips to Mablethorpe to "smell the sea air".

Elaine Turbill died in 2017. Her daughter said seven years on, the pain never goes away.

She said she feels her mother's death could have been prevented which would have given her the opportunity to see her second grandchild.

Paterson, who was based in Birmingham, is currently serving a 20-year sentence for his crimes, after carrying out needless operations over a 14-year period.

While working as a breast surgeon consultant, he was diagnosing cancer when there wasn't any and cutting patients open for no reason.

He was found guilty in 2017 of 17 counts of wounding with intent and three counts of unlawful wounding.

A total of 62 inquests have so far been opened on patients of Paterson, who was employed by the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust, and practised in the independent sector at Spire Parkway and Spire Little Aston.

The first inquest into the deaths of Paterson's patients looked into the death of mother Chloe Nikitas, and heard that she was given a "cleavage-sparing" mastectomy by him, and then had her breast cancer return.

Chloe Nikitas, an environmental consultant from Tamworth, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002 and was treated by the West Midlands "butcher" surgeon.

The inquest into her death continues.