An old-fashioned GP dedicated to helping others

With his white hair, gentle weathered features, and sweaters, the 71-year-old epitomised the image of a family GP trusted by generations.

For almost eight weeks he sat calmly in the dock of courtroom two, at the Middlesbrough court-house, and heard dozens of witnesses point the finger of blame at him.

He also heard grieving relatives recount the final moments of their loved ones' lives and medical experts condemn his decisions to administer high doses of opiate drugs to three seriously-ill patients.

Although he did not take to the witness box, he has continuously maintained he was simply doing his best to relieve the suffering of Frank Moss, Stanley Weldon and Harry Gittins.

After his acquittal, the doctor stood outside the court and described the ordeal as "eight weeks of Hell on Earth".

For most of that time his main confidante was solicitor Sara Mason, of the Medical Defence Union as he tried to protect the feelings of his daughters, Hilary, Rowena and Ruth, by asking them to stay away from the court.

For the past three days he was visibly lifted by the presence of his wife, Theresia, and other family members who sat in court waiting for the verdict.

From the moment The Northern Echo broke the story of the doctor's arrest in May last year countless former patients have stood by Dr Martin.

When he moved to the North-East in the 1960s to work as a locum he already had wider experience than many general practitioners.

He trained in a hospital, specialised in obstetrics and gynaecology, and served as an Army medic for 18 years.

He gained the respect of many of the 9,000 patients registered at the Cobblers Hall Surgery, in Newton Aycliffe, Dene Valley Surgery, in Eldon, near Bishop Auckland, and The Surgery, in Burke Street, Shildon.

Former patient Cecil Barker, 80, of Woodham, said: "He is a great man. My wife Joan and I have always found him to be a great doctor, very likeable. He talked nicely to people and always had time to listen.

"He was an old fashioned doctor in the best sense, he had plenty of time for patients.

"I always asked him to give it to me straight if there was ever any bad news, and he said he would.

"It was because he spent time talking to people that we found a mutual interest in walking and became friends."

Friends describe him as a man of faith and charity.

When he lived in the region he regularly attended the New Life Christian Centre, in Woodham, near Newton Aycliffe.

At the time the church was being built Dr Martin was building a surgery and pharmacy nearby.

Pastor Glyn Greenow said: "We would literally see him pushing a wheelbarrow about the site whenever he wasn't busy working and started talking.

"He said he had been a church attender in the past, but drifted away for a while before coming back.

"When we opened the church he started attending weekend services with his family."

The church was clearly a huge source of comfort for Dr Martin and his family at the most difficult time in their lives, when his son, Paul, died of cancer in 1989, aged 31.

Mr Greenow said: "Losing Paul was a very difficult time for them, we were with them through that situation and did what we could to help. The family came through the other side and coped very well, Dr Martin threw himself into activity."

He went on to recommend patients struggling with difficulties in their own lives attend the CLC and seek solace in the way his family did.

Mr Greenow also speaks highly of Howard Martin as doctor.

"After a service there was always a queue of people wanting to see him and he was always happy to help and give advice," he said.

"He could have said he was at church in his own time and not on duty as a GP, but he has a genuine interest in people and wants to help."

Mr Greenow added: "In my own experience he went out of his way to help. My wife Pamela was ill for two years and he was very good to us and when my father-in-law was terminally ill he was very compassionate.

"I remember he was leaving for a trip to Nepal at midnight once and came to see him at 10pm before he left."

One of the doctor's proudest achievements was the building of Bethany House Christian Nursing Home for elderly, disabled and terminally-ill people.

He raised the money to build the home, which is opposite the church, then when it opened in 1992, he donated it to the Woodham Christian Centre charity, managing it on a voluntary basis for about a decade on behalf of subsidiary group Object Quest Limited.

Manager Susan Foster said: "He managed the home for several years and never took a wage for that work, he did it to help people. He is highly respected, a real gentleman who goes out of his way to help people in his spare time."

Through the church he extended his charity work overseas and began supporting communities in countries in the developing world.

With Mr Barker, he has travelled the world to complete gruelling physical challenges, often in aid of charity.

In the late 1990s the pair spent 15 days trekking in the Himalayas. They also completed the three peaks of Ben Nevis in Scotland, Scafell Pike in the Lake District and Mount Snowdon in Wales in 24 hours.

In 1997, the men attempted to conquer Mount Kilimanjaro, in Tanzania, only to be knocked back by altitude sickness within sight of the summit.

One of the outings that meant the most to Dr Martin was the Kielder Challenge, which they completed in 12 hours.

Sponsorship raised by the event, organised through the CLC, enabled a bore hole to be dug in an Indian village.

When several of his friends moved to North Wales, Dr Howard became a frequent visitor to the region. He fell in love with its rugged coasts and hills and moved there with Theresia.

He has maintained his Christian faith and charity work as he did in the North-East.

Throughout the trial he returned to North Wales each weekend to attend services at the Oasis Christian Fellowship, in Dwygyfylchi.

Pastor Bob Searle, of the Oasis Christian Centre, said: "The community here hold him in very high regard, he is very well liked and continues to support good causes, in particular orphanages overseas and any people in need."