As reported in the Times of London
A Prominent psychiatrist was accused yesterday of persuading a wealthy patient to change her will and leave him £1.5 million.Why are we so skeptical of his protestations of innocence?
The inquest into the death of Patricia May, 66, was told that she had become infatuated with Peter Rowan, who had treated her for 16 years. He worked at the exclusive Priory Hospital in Roehampton, West London, which is known for treating celebrity patients including the socialite Lady Isabella Hervey. Miss May gave Dr Rowan cash gifts of £150,000 during her life and paid for him to take his two daughters skiing.
The psychiatrist was found to be the main beneficiary of Miss May’s will after her death in March 2003. Dr Rowan, 58, denied asking Miss May to rewrite her will and rejected suggestions that the large quantities of drugs that he prescribed for Miss May without the knowledge of her GP might have contributed to her death.
A drawer in Miss May’s bedside table was found to be full of sleeping tablets. The former model, who suffered severe anorexia nervosa and was increasingly frail in the last months of her life, died in the Chelsea & Westminster Hospital after falling in the bathroom of her Mayfair flat and breaking a rib.
No post-mortem examination was held at the time and her body was cremated. A police investigation into her death was begun two years later after concerns were raised with Scotland Yard by the General Medical Council.
A file was passed to the Crown Prosecution Service but no charges were brought. The case was, however, referred to the Westminster Coroner.
The inquest was told that three doctors who treated Miss May in hospital, including a Dr Lindsay, who signed her death certificate, had not been traced.
Milagros Golding, a close friend of Miss May, said that she had become “totally infatuated” with Dr Rowan, that she spoke about him constantly and had a picture of him with his daughters on her mantlepiece. Ms Golding told Westminster Coroner’s Court: “Shortly before Patricia died she told me that she was thinking about her will and that Dr Rowan had suggested writing a new one, leaving everything to him and some money to friends.
“He would then ensure the friends were taken care of and that would save her a lot of time and lawyers’ fees. He used to visit Patricia once a week and we were aware that he would prescribe various medication.”
Kathy Ashun, who cared for Miss May, told the court: “She was absolutely infatuated with him [Dr Rowan]. I asked her what the situation was, if she was having a relationship with the doctor and if they were lovers or what. She said, ‘Oh no not that, just some kissing and cuddling’. I said, ‘Do you think he would be interested in you if you didn’t have any money?’ She said, ‘That’s what I’m worried about’.”
Dr Rowan said that he was “happily married” and denied any romance with Miss May. “I personally had no reason to believe infatuation was there,” he said. “I knew she was fond of me and a close relationship developed over the 16 years that I listened, counselled and supported her . . . Often the target of infatuation can be the last person to know.”
During the last five months of her life, Miss May had been “seriously unwell” and he had treated her at her home. Dr Rowan prescribed temazepam to help Miss May to sleep, lorazepam for her anxiety and an antidepressant called clomipramine.
Dr Rowan said that Miss May had a secretive nature and had asked him not to tell her family doctor about his prescriptions. He said: “I asked her to write in the notes that these were her decisions and we discussed it. She wrote, ‘I confirm I have specifically asked Dr Rowan not to have any contact with any other doctors.”
Dr Rowan was adamant that he had not discussed Miss May’s will with his patient. He said: “I had absolutely no conversation with Patricia which could have been interpreted in that way. We discussed her financial affairs, but I did not give her advice.”
Paul Knapman, the coroner, said that Dr Rowan could be subject to a GMC inquiry after the inquest, which was adjourned until next month.
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