ANDREW MORRIS FROM EDINBURGH AND EXMOUTH STRUCK OFF OVER CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CASE

In a significant development within the medical and criminal justice communities, Dr. Andrew Morris, a former anaesthetist with ties to both Edinburgh and Exmouth, has been officially removed from the medical register following a conviction related to child pornography. The decision was announced yesterday after a lengthy review by the General Medical Council (GMC), which concluded that Morris’s fitness to practice medicine has been severely impaired due to his past actions and ongoing issues.

Dr. Morris, aged 48, was initially caught in 2002 during a police operation targeting internet-based child abuse images. Authorities discovered nearly 180 photographs depicting "nude young girls" at his residence in Exmouth. This discovery led to his immediate dismissal from the Royal Devon Hospital in Exeter, where he was employed as an anaesthetist. Since that time, Morris has been subjected to a restricted medical license, effectively preventing him from practicing medicine, and he has not held any clinical position.

The GMC’s disciplinary panel ultimately decided to remove Morris from the medical register, citing concerns over his diminished skills and lack of insight into his actions. Professor Michael Whitehouse, the chairman of the GMC, stated, "The panel recognises the difficulties he has experienced in finding clinical attachments in the field of anaesthetics or securing employment in medical journalism as a consequence of the serious findings against him. The panel is concerned that Dr. Morris has become de-skilled over the past seven and a half years. It is further troubled by his lack of insight. In reviewing his case, the panel was not assisted by Dr. Morris’s absence from this hearing."

In correspondence with the GMC dated July 12 of this year, Morris acknowledged his situation, writing, "I think the time has come for me to be realistic and accept my situation as regards clinical medicine. The combination of seven and a half years away from clinical work, my background, and the GMC process is too much to overcome."

Historically, Morris pleaded guilty in March 2003 to charges of inciting the distribution of child pornography. He also admitted to possessing indecent images of children, with eight sample images cited. As part of his sentence, he received a three-year community rehabilitation order and was required to register as a sex offender for five years.

Married and a father of one, Morris’s connections to Edinburgh’s South Bridge area have been noted in reports. Following his removal from the medical register, he has also been referred to the Independent Safeguarding Authority, which has the authority to impose further restrictions, including banning him from working with children or vulnerable adults.