A doctor on the witness box went “beyond the call of duty” when he rushed out to help a woman who had collapsed during an Old Bailey trial.
Consultant paediatrician Dr Charles Bouvier, from Great Ormond Street Hospital, was giving evidence in the murder trial of a couple accused of killing their three-month-old daughter.
A disturbance broke out in the public gallery on Thursday as he was being cross-examined.
Events took a turn when a dock officer shouted “oi” and one juror began waving frantically as a grey-haired woman who had been observing the case appeared to collapse.
Judge Mark Lucraft KC called for a break and Dr Bouvier rushed to assist the stricken woman in the gallery.
When the court reassembled, Judge Lucraft observed: “That was unexpected.”
He told jurors: “He did the right thing by using his medical skills and attending a lady in the public gallery. The good news is, she is absolutely fine.”
He added: “You never know what is going to happen in court. There was a medical emergency and we were 99% better prepared than any other court in the country with a consultant paediatrician in court.”
Judge Lucraft thanked Dr Bouvier saying it was “beyond the call of duty”.
The witness replied: “Glad to help.”
The court has heard how baby Kaylani Kalanzi was on a child protection plan when she was admitted to hospital on July 8 last year, having been violently shaken with an impact to her head.
She suffered catastrophic brain injuries as well as a broken leg and ribs, and died in hospital 15 days later.
Kaylani’s parents, Herbert Kalanzi, 35, and Nazli Merthoca, 24, from East Ham, east London, are accused of her murder and causing or allowing her death.
In his evidence, Dr Bouvier confirmed that both parents had denied that Kaylani had been hit or shaken before she was admitted to hospital.
He was asked about a conversation with Merthoca last July 10 after she had her partner were arrested.
Defence barrister Ben Aina KC said: “She was very angry from being in custody. In a loud voice, she felt she had been unfairly accused, victimised or harassed over the condition of her baby.”
Dr Bouvier said: “Yes, that was the impression I was getting throughout the conversation.”
Registrar paediatrician Dr Ashwin Mahtani also gave evidence about his interaction with Merthoca, who accused Great Ormond Street of being a “hospital of white supremacy”.
Dr Mahtani told jurors: “She said that we were interrogating her and exacerbating her PTSD.”
The defendants deny the charges against them, and the Old Bailey trial was adjourned until Friday morning.
