One of the more unusual cases to hit the courts recently.

Old Bailey judge Richard Hone QC jailed Edward Erin, ‘Dr Poison’, for six years yesterday. Erin, 44, who laced his lover, Bella Prowse’s, drink with drugs to try to make her miscarry was described by the judge as a ‘liar, a cheat and predator’. He was given six years concurrently for two counts of attempting to administer poison and ordered to pay £30,000 costs. The doctor’s professional record is now being questioned too – his clinical research is ‘under scrutiny as lacking depth and vitality’.

In a cutting judgement, judge Hone told Erin:

"You exploited your senior position as a consultant respiratory physician to lure women into sexual relations. Your property wealth, tailored wardrobe, high lifestyle, illicit weekends and expensive trinkets dazzled those whom you designed to seduce."

Miss Prowse was Erin’s medical secretary but apparently had no idea he was married when they began an affair in 2007. When she became pregnant, she refused to bow to Erin’s pressure to have an abortion so he attempted to force a miscarriage by spiking her Starbucks coffee and orange juice with crushed tablets. However, Ms Prowse folied his plot when she noticed the powder and told police.

Despite the ordeal, Ms Prowse gave birth to a healthy son.

Agatha Christie eat your heart out.

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