A DOCTOR who worked at the John Radcliffe Hospital has been accused of dishonesty and bias over claims she made about shaken baby syndrome.

Dr Waney Squier is due to appear before the General Medical Council today in relation to evidence she gave in court between 2007 and 2010. If the allegations are found to be true by the panel Dr Squier could be struck off.

The paediatric neuropathologist appeared as a prosecution witness in a number of criminal cases against parents accused of killing their children.

She argued that three brain injuries — swelling of the brain, bleeding between the skull and brain and bleeding in the retina — were enough to determine that the death had been caused by a child being shaken.

But more than a decade ago, Dr Squier changed her position after new evidence emerged and became convinced that such symptoms were not conclusive.

She then became an expert witness defending parents who said their children’s deaths were the result of natural causes.

In a statement the GMC said: “It is alleged that during these proceedings Dr Squier provided an expert opinion evidence by way of written report and/or oral evidence outside her field of expertise.

“It is also alleged that Dr Squier failed to discharge her duties as an expert in that she failed to work within the limits of her competence, to be objective and unbiased and to pay due regard to the views of other experts.

“It is alleged that Dr Squier’s actions were misleading, deliberately misleading, dishonest and brought the reputation of the medical profession into disrepute.”

Preliminary arguments will be considered today in the case, which is expected to last until September 26.

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