Carmody ‘vindicated’ as nine-year battle ends

Former Co Clare GP Paschal Carmody said after yesterday’s trial that his reputation had been restored and he had been “totally vindicated.”

Dr Carmody — who did not receive legal aid for the three separate trials — said: “To spend that money defending your innocence is very hurtful.”

He said he intends to apply to the State for the costs of the trials.

Asked has his reputation now been restored after being cleared of the remaining charges, Dr Carmody said: “Today would have to restore my reputation. I have been totally vindicated. I have spent over 100 days in total in court, between call-overs and everything else.”

He added: “There was no conviction against me. There were 46 charges originally levelled at me. Not one charge was proven. I feel I have been totally vindicated and my work was not in any way wrong. I feel now I can move forward and go on with my life.”

“It has been stressful, tiring, expensive to my family and we had to face what we had to face and confront it. It is now finished today and I am happy to go back to some form of normality.”

Asked what impact the criminal process has had on his own health, Dr Carmody replied: “It has been catastrophic. My mental health, physical health, social health — yes there is no point saying it hasn’t been catastrophic.

“I’m a strong man. I can carry it, but it went on for far too long.

“I will face a trial, and I will take my beating if I am wrong, but to be taken through the courts three times on evidence that Judge Fullam said was so weak that was dangerous to progress. I knew that from the beginning.”

On the range of cancer treatments offered to his patients, Dr Carmody said: “We had enough of success to say to these people that yes, there is a possibility that your child, husband or brother could improve.

“There was the question of promising the cure — that was outrageous, it was contemptuous. It was the most vile add on to the charges imaginable.

He added: “No doctor or intelligent person will say ‘I can cure cancer’.”

Dr Carmody said he has no regrets offering cancer treatments to his former patients.

“I believe there is another way. I believe going forward the singular approach to medical care is going to change enormously and we are going to have a much wider approach to chronic illnesses.”

He added: “My own observation going back 30 years is that patients were undergoing the best treatment available at the time, but the results were catastrophic.

“We did attempt to bring in other modalities of treatment that may have influenced the welfare of sick people. It wasn’t for any other purpose but to enhance wellbeing and prolong life.”