John Bodkin Adams British doctor arrested for killing two patients Date of Birth: 21.01.1899 Country: Great Britain

1. Biography of John Bodkin Adams
2. Affair with Roland Gwyn
3. Arrest and Investigation
4. High-Profile Connections
5. Trial and Acquittal

Biography of John Bodkin Adams

John Bodkin Adams was a British doctor who gained notoriety for his alleged involvement in the murder of two patients. Born in Randalstown, Northern Ireland, Adams was a member of the Plymouth Brethren, a Protestant sect. He studied medicine in Belfast and began practicing as a general practitioner in Eastbourne in 1922.

Affair with Roland Gwyn

During his time in Eastbourne, Adams became involved in a romantic relationship with Roland Gwyn, an aristocrat and former mayor of the town from 1929 to 1932. Adams quickly gained a reputation and attracted many wealthy patients. However, rumors began to circulate about his methods and the suspicious number of deaths of his older patients who had bequeathed their estates and large sums of money to him.

Arrest and Investigation

Adams' arrest came in 1956 following the death of Gertrude Hullett, a fifty-year-old patient. At the time of his arrest, he was one of the wealthiest doctors in Britain. A subsequent investigation revealed a total of 163 cases of patient deaths under suspicious circumstances. Many of these deaths occurred after the administration of high doses of morphine, heroin, or barbiturates. Of the 163 cases, 132 patients had left their estates or money to Adams in their wills.

High-Profile Connections

The police also uncovered Adams' presence at the death of Edward Cavendish, the 10th Duke of Devonshire and brother-in-law of Harold Macmillan, the 65th Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (from 1957 to 1963).

Trial and Acquittal

Although Adams was only charged with the murders of Hullett and another widow, Edith Alice Morrell, in 1957, the jury declared him not guilty after a 17-day trial. However, Adams was found guilty in a separate trial for prescription forgery, providing false information on cremation forms, and for not keeping a register of dangerous drugs he had prescribed.