[attach id=382720 size="medium"]Patrick Spiteri[/attach]
The doctor who issued medical certificates to conman Patrick Spiteri claiming inability to travel due to the onset of multiple sclerosis is a reputable neurologist, The Sunday Times of Malta has learnt.
Repeated attempts to obtain a comment from Dr Paul Jarman, before and after Mr Spiteri was arrested in the UK on suspicion that he has been dodging the Maltese justice system with these certificates, have however proved futile.
Questions were sent to different outlets where the London-based Dr Jarman practices. He was asked whether he issued certificates and, if he did, whether he still stood by the assessment that Mr Spiteri could not travel. However, no response was forthcoming.
His secretary at The Physicians Clinic, a private practice with consultants in different medical specialities, said she would not handle the questions herself but would pass on the message to Dr Jarman.
At least one of the certificates was issued on a letterhead of The Physicians Clinic while a second was issued on that of London’s Wellington Hospital, where he also practises.
A spokesman for the hospital said that though Dr Jarman had “practising privileges” at the hospital, he was not directly employed by it.
“Therefore, any queries relating to his practice should be directed to him,” the spokesman said.
Asked whether the hospital would be looking into the matter, seeing as at least one certificate was issued on its letterhead, the spokesman made no comment.
The press office of University College London Hospital, where Dr Jarman also teaches, made no comment.
Mr Spiteri, 50, has been presenting medical certificates since October, 2013 claiming he is unable to travel back to Malta where he is facing fraud and misappropriation charges amounting to more than €10 million, in eight separate cases.
However, when he was arrested on November 8 in the village of Churt, 75 kilometres south of London, he walked normally, according to Surrey police sources.
Moreover, when officers moved in to arrest him, he was found hiding underneath a bed.
Former Tory MEP Tom Spencer, who part-owns the €4 million country mansion Mr Spiteri was found living in, indicated to this newspaper he did not believe the story.
“The truth is Patrick runs like a greyhound, he is very nervous and runs up stairs in sets of three,” Mr Spencer said.
Mr Spiteri was tracked down to the 15-acre country estate in Churt last Saturday following an investigation by this newspaper.
Maltese police recently started questioning the certificates and on October 20 asked for a European Arrest Warrant, but they were not aware of his whereabouts.
Surrey police were not aware that someone within their county was wanted given there was no address on the Interpol system.
The Sunday Times of Malta joined the dots and he was apprehended yesterday week and appeared before Westminster Magistrate’s Court on Monday. He was granted bail against a security of €90,000, which was paid in full on Wednesday and he was released.
Under the bail conditions, Mr Spiteri has to be indoors between 11am and 4am and during that time he has to report to the Guilford police station.