Harold Shipman has been confirmed as Britain's worst mass murderer after an official inquiry ruled he killed at least 215 and possibly as many as 260 of his patients.
The British government-backed inquiry in Manchester, northwest England, said Shipman was guilty of a "terrible betrayal of trust" and slammed inadequate controls which allowed him to kill so many during his murderous 24-year medical career.
"No one reading this report can fail to be shocked by the enormity of the crimes committed by Shipman and to feel, as I do, the deepest sympathy for his victims and their families," said Judge Janet Smith, who headed the inquiry.
"His activities have brought tragedy upon them, and also upon the communities in which he practised and which gave him their trust."
A second phase of the inquiry would now direct its efforts "to attempting to devise improved systems so as to ensure that such a terrible betrayal of trust by a family doctor can never happen again," Judge Smith added.
Shipman, 56, was jailed in January 2000 for life for murdering 15 elderly patients. Most of his victims were elderly women, who died in their own homes after being given an overdose of morphine.
The inquiry looked into 888 deaths of Shipman's patients, and found that he killed 215, adding that there was a "real suspicion" that Shipman may have been responsible for an additional 45 deaths, although here the evidence was not clear enough to reach a positive conclusion.
Judge Smith's findings have legal status, which means that even though Shipman will not face another trial, the deaths she said he carried out are officially added to his list of crimes.
Prosecutors have decided that he should not be charged with any further murders because the publicity surrounding his current convictions means he would be unable to receive a fair, unbiased trial.
AFP