NSW: Naturopath gets suspended term for killing baby

AAP General News (Australia)
02-13-2004
NSW: Naturopath gets suspended term for killing baby

A naturopath convicted of the manslaughter of an 18-day-old baby he was treating has
received a five-year jail sentence.

But the term's been suspended because 74-year-old REGINALD HAROLD FENN, from Port Stephens
in northern New South Wales, is too ill with cancer to serve his time in prison.

FENN was convicted in August last year of unlawfully killing newborn MITCHELL JAMES
LITTLE between September the 15th and 25th, 1999, at Raymond Terrace, near Newcastle.

MITCHELL was born with critical aortic stenosis, a heart defect which can only be treated
by surgery.

He died just days before surgery was to be carried out, after his parents cancelled
the operation on advice from FENN that herbal drops had cured the baby.





In the NSW Supreme Court today, Acting Justice PETER NEWMAN sentenced FENN to a five-year
jail term with a three year non-parole period, but suspended the sentence.

The court's been told that FENN is terminally ill with cancer of the skull.

AAP RTV stringer/sd/rcg/rt

KEYWORD: FENN (NEWCASTLE NSW)

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