Beale denies he ingored concern over complications suffered by boy he operated on, court hears

JOHANNESBURG - Murder-accused paediatric surgeon Peter Beale has denied allegations that he ignored a colleague’s concerns over a boy he operated on - who subsequently died.

Beale is charged with three counts of murder over what the state alleges was “reckless” conduct on his part, resulting in the deaths of three children he operated on.

His trial is currently underway in the High Court in Joburg.

On Thursday, the court heard from a paediatrician who treated a three-year-old patient of Peter Beale’s after he went into distress following surgery.

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The autopsy found the child’s subsequent death was “consistent with septic peritonitis”  and she previously said she had raised concerns that there could be something wrong in the child’s abdomen but that Beale ignored her.

However, Beale’s counsel, Ian Green, said this wasn’t the case, highlighting that the surgeon had performed a peritoneal tap on the child.

She agreed but emphasised that this was at her insistence.

Regardless, Green maintained the effect of this was that Beale hadn’t ignored her concerns or done nothing.

Proceedings are now done for the day and the matter continues on Friday.