Tweet
Dr Patel's findings on the death of Ian Tomlinson differed from those of two colleagues The pathologist at the centre of a row over the death of a man at the G20 protests has been described as unfit to continue practising, at a hearing.
The General Medical Council found Dr Freddy Patel had been "irresponsible" in earlier, unrelated examinations.
He could be suspended or struck off the medical register at a later hearing.
Dr Patel's findings on the death of Ian Tomlinson differed from those of two colleagues, and led to no charges being brought over the death at the G20 demo.
Simon Jackson QC, representing the GMC, said his lack of understanding or ability to recognise his "serious failings" in the cases suggested he could make future errors of judgment.
Dr Patel, 63, was said by the disciplinary panel to have failed to identify marks on the body of a five-year-old girl which suggested she had been violently attacked prior to her death.
Speaking at the hearing on Thursday, Mr Jackson said this "created a potential risk of a loss of crucial evidence".
Mr Jackson said the pathologist had a duty to act as a "gatekeeper", adding: "There may be no further opportunity to find and report such findings if the body were to be cremated."
Failure to agree
Dr Patel was the pathologist who carried out the first post-mortem examination of newspaper seller Ian Tomlinson, who died at the G20 protests in London on 1 April 2009.
He concluded that Mr Tomlinson died of natural causes linked to coronary artery disease.
However, two other pathologists later separately concluded that Mr Tomlinson - who had been pushed by a police officer - died of internal bleeding as a result of blunt force trauma, in combination with cirrhosis of the liver.
The failure of the three pathologists to all agree on the cause of Mr Tomlinson's death led to the director of public prosecutions ruling that the policeman in question would not face any charges.
Dr Patel has since been barred from carrying out Home Office forensic pathology work.
This article is from the BBC News website. ? British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.