Iain West

Iain West (born 25 April 1944, death 23 July 2001 Hastings, East Sussex) was a British forensic pathologist. He was involved in examining numerous deaths, many which are described in the book Dr Iain West's Casebook he published in collaboration with journalist Chester Stern. From 1984 to 1998 he was head of the Department of Forensic Medicine at Guy's Hospital.

Iain West's second wife was Vesna Djurovic, also a noted pathologist.

Among the deaths Iain West investigated were that of Robert Maxwell. Maxwell had fallen, jumped or been pushed overboard his yacht Lady Ghislaine 5 November 1991. Iain West was commissioned by the insurance company to examine whether the death was accidental, a suicide or homicide. 20 million Pounds were to be paid if the death was any other than accident of homicide. West was of the opinion that suicide was slightly more likely than the accident.

Iain West also carried out the post-mortem examinations of the BBC TV presenter Jill Dando and the British police officer Yvonne Fletcher who was shot from the Libyan embassy in 1984. West also played a part in the release of the British soldier Lee Clegg who had been convicted for murder.

The most high profile international case with which Iain West was involved was the investigation into the death of Kenya’s Foreign Minister Dr Robert Ouko, in February 1990.

THE DEATH OF DR ROBERT OUKO, KENYA’S MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

The partially burnt body of Dr Robert Ouko, Kenya’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, was officially found at the foot of Got Alila Hill, 2.8 km from his farm at Koru, near Kisumu, north western Kenya, on 16 February 1990, following a police search. He had gone missing in the early hours of the morning three days before (13 February).

On 19 February the Kenyan government announced that three detectives from Scotland Yard, Detective Superintendent John Troon together with Detective Inspector Graham Dennis and Detective Sergeant David Sanderson from ‘the Yard’s’ International and Organised Crime Branch, would take over the investigation. They were accompanied by Dr Iain West, then a Forensic Pathologist from Guys and St Thomas Hospitals, London. The Scotland Yard team arrived in Kenya on 21 February.

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Wikipedia