Case file · Crown Court of England and Wales, United Kingdom

Harold Frederick Shipman: charges, verdict and sentence

Harold Shipman, a general practitioner, was convicted on 31 January 2000 of murdering 15 of his patients and sentenced to life imprisonment on each count, with no prospect of release. A public inquiry chaired by Dame Janet Smith reported in July 2002 that he had killed at least 215 patients. He died in his cell at Wakefield prison on 13 January 2004.

Charges and outcomes

Sentence

Life imprisonment on each of 15 murder counts. He was among about 20 UK prisoners told they would never be released.

Court record, stage by stage

1. 31 January 2000
   verdictJury convicted him of the murders of 15 patients^1,2

   Crown Court
2. January 2000
   sentenceSentenced to 15 life terms, and was one of about 20 UK prisoners told they would never be released^1,2

   Crown Court
3. 13 January 2004
   deathDied in his cell at Wakefield prison¹

Notable rulings

• The Shipman Inquiry, chaired by Dame Janet Smith, 19 July 2002. First report found Shipman had killed at least 215 patients, with real suspicion over 45 further deaths. Prosecutors had ruled out further trials.²

Sources

1. BMJ (via PubMed Central), Harold Shipman (obituary), BMJ 2004, 328:231 (24 January 2004)
2. Lawrence Journal-World (Associated Press), Doctor killed 215 of his patients, court report finds (20 July 2002)

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