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An NHS leading surgeon has been accused of carrying out completely unnecessary operations on ten breast cancer patients to earn extra money. Ian Paterson, 59, repeatedly lied to his patients about their conditions. He has performed dozens of botched mastectomies which caused serious harms to patients over a 14-year period.

Mr Paterson, of Castle Mill Lane, Ashley, Altrincham, graduated from Bristol University. He worked at NHS and private hospitals across the Midlands from 1994 to 2011 and operated on thousands of patients.

While working in Birmigham's Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust and two privately-run Spire Healthcare hospitals in the West Midlands, between 1997 and 2011, Paterson was accused of maliciously wounding ten patients, which included nine females and one male during his practice.

Paterson has been charged with 20 counts of unlawfully and maliciously wounding with the intention to do grievous bodily harm. He has denied all charges. He was suspended by the General Medical Council in October 2012.

A jury at Nottingham Crown Court heard that financial gain may have been the motive. The surgeon earned more for further check-ups and follow-up surgery. It was also reported that he may have "enjoyed" falsely making patients believe they were gravely ill and holding their lives in his hands according to Telegraph.

Prosecutors said Paterson made up serious risks of cancer in patients and for no medically justified reason, performed life-changing procedures on them. Some patients were reported to have developed mental health problems as a result.

Daily Mail reported Patricia Welch was told that she needed double mastectomy, despite scans finding no evidence of the disease. She was misled to believe that she had potentially cancerous tissues in her left breast after Paterson removed a lump in March 2011. Carole Johnson underwent six breast operations between October 2000 and May 2007 and at least five were unnecessary.

Prosecutor Julian Christopher QC told the jury that Paterson put his own self-interest ahead of his patients. He also said that Paterson was experience and knowledgeable in his field that the botched operations could not have been a simple mistake or incompetence.