Iain West (25 April 1944 – 23 July 2001) was a British

forensic pathologist Forensic pathology is pathology that focuses on determining the cause of death by examining a corpse. A post mortem examination is performed by a medical examiner or forensic pathologist, usually during the investigation of criminal law cases an ...

Early life

West was born in

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

on 25 April 1944, the son of a

Squadron leader Squadron leader (Sqn Ldr in the RAF ; SQNLDR in the RAAF and RNZAF; formerly sometimes S/L in all services) is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also ...

in the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...

. He was educated at

Carre's Grammar School Carre's Grammar School is a selective secondary school for boys in Sleaford, a market town in Lincolnshire, England. Founded on 1 September 1604 by an indenture of Robert Carre, the school was funded by rents from farmland and run by a group ...

Sleaford Sleaford is a market town and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in the North Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. Centred on the former parish of New Sleaford, the modern boundaries and urban area include Quarrington, Lincolnshire, ...

before returning to Scotland to study medicine at the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...

, graduating in 1967. His early career interest was

hematology Hematology ( always spelled haematology in British English) is the branch of medicine concerned with the study of the cause, prognosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases related to blood. It involves treating diseases that affect the produc ...

but he quickly turned to forensic pathology whilst at

Addenbrooke's Hospital Addenbrooke's Hospital is an internationally renowned large teaching hospital and research centre in Cambridge, England, with strong affiliations to the University of Cambridge. Addenbrooke's Hospital is based on the Cambridge Biomedical Campu ...

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...

and studied with

Austin Gresham Geoffrey Austin Gresham (1 November 1924–24 July 2009) was a British pathologist and writer of ''A Colour Atlas of Forensic Pathology'', a seminal book on the subject. He was educated at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge and King's Colle ...

Career

West was involved in examining numerous deaths, many which are described in the book ''Dr Iain West's Casebook'', which he published in collaboration with the journalist Chester Stern. From 1984 to 1998 he was head of the Department of Forensic Medicine at

Guy's Hospital Guy's Hospital is an NHS hospital in the borough of Southwark in central London. It is part of Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and one of the institutions that comprise the King's Health Partners, an academic health science centre. ...

. Among the deaths West investigated were that of

Robert Maxwell Ian Robert Maxwell (born Ján Ludvík Hyman Binyamin Hoch; 10 June 1923 – 5 November 1991) was a Czechoslovak-born British media proprietor, member of parliament (MP), suspected spy, and fraudster. Early in his life, Maxwell escaped from N ...

. Maxwell had fallen, jumped or been pushed overboard his yacht ''

Lady Ghislaine ''Dancing Hare'' (formerly ''Lady Ghislaine'' and ''Lady Mona K'') is a superyacht built by Amels in 1986. Built for Emad Khashoggi, it was then purchased, also in 1986, by Robert Maxwell, who died by drowning while cruising on the yacht off th ...

'' on 5 November 1991. West was commissioned by the insurance company to examine whether the death was accidental, a suicide or murder. £20 million were to be paid if the death was accident or murder. West declared that Maxwell's death was likely to be suicide. West also carried out the

post-mortem examination An autopsy (post-mortem examination, obduction, necropsy, or autopsia cadaverum) is a surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse by dissection to determine the cause, mode, and manner of death or to evaluate any dis ...

s of the BBC TV presenter

Jill Dando Jill Wendy Dando (9 November 1961 – 26 April 1999) was an English journalist, television presenter and newsreader. She spent most of her career at the BBC and was the corporation's Personality of the Year in 1997. At the time of her death, her ...

, the British police officer Yvonne Fletcher who was shot from the Libyan embassy in 1984, and Kenyan

Minister for Foreign Affairs A foreign affairs minister or minister of foreign affairs (less commonly minister for foreign affairs) is generally a cabinet minister in charge of a state's foreign policy and relations. The formal title of the top official varies between coun ...

Robert Ouko. West also played a part in the release of the British soldier

Lee Clegg Sergeant Lee Clegg (born c. 1969) is a British Army soldier who was convicted of murder for his involvement in the shooting dead of one teenage joyrider in West Belfast, Northern Ireland. His conviction was later overturned. Shooting The shooti ...

who had been convicted for murder.

Personal life

West's second wife was Vesna Djurovic, also a noted pathologist. West died on 23 July 2001 in Hastings, East Sussex.

Publications

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:West, Iain 1944 births 2001 deaths British forensic scientists