SURGEON Richard Neale could be extradited to face a murder charge following an investigation into the death of a former patient overseas.

Canadian police have confirmed that they are putting together a case which could lead to a request for extradition so the gynaecologist can stand trial in Ontario on charges of murder and criminal negligence.

Mr Neale was struck off in Canada after patient Geraldine Krawchuck died in childbirth nearly 20 years ago.

He is now in the middle of a General Medical Council disciplinary hearing over complaints by patients at the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton, where he was head of maternity.

Detective Sergeant Shane Wasmund, of Ontario police, said they were building a case against Mr Neale with a view to extraditing him from Britain.

He said they were considering a murder charge in the case of Mrs Krawchuck and charges of criminal negligence against a number of other women.

Det Sgt Wasmund said they would have to be satisfied with the case against Mr Neale before making a formal request for extradition.

Detective Eva Reti, who is also working on the case, said a complaint against Mr Neale had been filed in the middle of March by Mrs Krawchuk's daughter, Kathy Tanner, which had been followed by a number of other complaints.

She said: "We are building a file on Mr Neale and we have also been trying to monitor what is going on with the inquiry in London through the Internet.

Mrs Tanner, who was 20 when her mother died giving birth to Nicole, visited London last month to confront Mr Neale at the start of the GMC hearing.

She said: "My sister Nicole is 18 now and she cries herself to sleep. I held it in for 18 years but I'm my mother's age now."

Mr Neale was banned from practising in Canada after an inquiry revealed he had used an unauthorised stimulant to induce Mrs Krawchuck to give birth.

A spokesman for the Medical Protection Society, which is representing Mr Neale, said: "Mr Neale is currently appearing before the General Medical Council and is unable to comment until that case is completed."

The GMC hearing against Mr Neale is due to resume in London today.

Mr Neale, of Boroughbridge, near York, is accused of "incompetence over operations on 14 women at the Friarage Hospital, in Northallerton, and St Mary's Hospital, Newport, Isle of Wight.

He admitted failing to perform a pre-operative x-ray or post-operative mammogram on a patient to ensure that an area of calcifications had been successfully removed, but denies botching operations on other women.

He also denies making false claims about his qualifications in an application for a post as an assessor of doctors' performance in 1997.

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