Dr Sue Dyson is a European specialist in veterinary sports medicine and rehabilitation
An internationally renowned vet has been struck off after she wrote a 'bogus letter' impersonating a fictitious Home Office inspector to get her research study published.
Dr Sue Dyson, a European specialist in veterinary sports medicine and rehabilitation, forged a document in an attempt to show her study into the impact of heavy riders on horses had been approved by the government.
She invented an esteemed veterinarian by the name of Dr JC Butler who appeared to endorse her research.
But when her fraud was uncovered she was reported for 'disgraceful conduct' and a disciplinary committee of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has now struck her from the professional register.
Dr Dyson was Head of Clinical Orthopaedics at the Animal Health Trust's Centre for Equine Studies in Newmarket, Suffolk, and had enjoyed a 'distinguished international career and reputation'.
In May 2016, she submitted an application to the AHT's Clinical Research Ethics Committee for authorisation to undertake clinical research and to secure ethical approval for a research project, with the title 'Influence of rider: horse body weight ratios on equine welfare and performance - a pilot study.'
Some research projects involving animals are required to be licensed by the Home Office under the Animals Act 1986 to protect animals used for experimental or other scientific purposes.
Ethical approval was given but the project was not seen as including an experimental element so it was not referred to an inspector.
The project was then conducted over the following months and it took until Autumn 2018 to complete.
Prior to publication a paper must first be peer reviewed, so in October 2018 the relevant paper was sent to Karen Overall, the editor of the Journal of Veterinary Behaviour: Clinical Applications and Research.
Dr Dyson forged a document in an attempt to show her study into the impact of heavy riders on horses had been approved by the Home Office
It was also sent to Dr Matthew Parker - a Senior Lecturer in Behavioural Pharmacology and Neuroscience at the University of Portsmouth.
Dr Parker raised concerns about the lack of a Home Office licence which he felt was necessary due to the taking of horses' rectal temperatures in the study and refused to review it.
The disciplinary committee heard Dr Dyson emailed Ms Overall to say she had sought advice from a former Home Office inspector who sat on the AHY Ethics Committee. This was found to be a lie.
She added she had also sought 'informal advice' from a current inspector and 'all were fully aware of the protocols to be employed and gave me assurance that in their opinion Home Office approval would not
