#publisher alternate (BUTTON) Close Skip to main content [ ] * switch to the International edition * switch to the UK edition * switch to the US edition * switch to the Australia edition current edition: International edition The Guardian - Back to home Support The Guardian Subscribe Find a job Jobs Sign in * Comment activity * Edit profile * Email preferences * Change password * Sign out (BUTTON) My account Search [ ] * News * Opinion * Sport * Culture * Lifestyle Show More * (BUTTON) News + World news + UK news + Science + Cities + Global development + Football + Tech + Business + Environment + Obituaries * (BUTTON) Opinion + The Guardian view + Columnists + Cartoons + Opinion videos + Letters * (BUTTON) Sport + Football + Rugby union + Cricket + Tennis + Cycling + F1 + Golf + US sports * (BUTTON) Culture + Books + Music + TV & radio + Art & design + Film + Games + Classical + Stage * (BUTTON) Lifestyle + Fashion + Food + Recipes + Love & sex + Health & fitness + Home & garden + Women + Family + Travel + Money ____________________ What term do you want to search? (BUTTON) Search with google * Become a supporter * Subscribe * Sign in/up * (BUTTON) My account + Comment activity + Edit profile + Email preferences + Change password + Sign out * (BUTTON) International edition + switch to the UK edition + switch to the US edition + switch to the Australia edition * Jobs * Dating * Holidays * The Guardian app * Video * Podcasts * Pictures * Newsletters * Today's paper * The Observer * Digital archive * Crosswords * Facebook * Twitter * Jobs * Dating * Holidays * UK * UK politics * Education * Media * Society * Law * Scotland * Wales * Northern Ireland (BUTTON) More Mental health Raj Persaud: TV psychiatrist admits plagiarism David Batty Mon 16 Jun 2008 12.12 BST First published on Mon 16 Jun 2008 12.12 BST * Share on Facebook * Share on Twitter * Share via Email * (BUTTON) View more sharing options * Share on LinkedIn * Share on Pinterest * Share on Google+ * Share on WhatsApp * Share on Messenger * (BUTTON) Close Raj Persaud [ ] Raj Persaud. Photograph: Andy Butterton/PA Britain's best-known psychiatrist today admitted using plagiarised material in a book and several articles he wrote for newspapers and medical journals. Raj Persaud, famous for his appearances alongside Richard and Judy on the This Morning sofa, also admitted to a General Medical Council (GMC) disciplinary hearing that his plagiarism was inappropriate and misleading. But Persaud denied that his actions were dishonest or were liable to bring the medical profession into disrepute. The psychiatrist, who used to present BBC Radio 4's All In The Mind programme, admitted plagiarising four articles for his book From The Edge Of The Couch published in 2003. He also admitted that four articles he wrote in 2005 contained passages plagiarised from an article and book by Professor Thomas Blass, of the University of Maryland, and material from the academic's website. He also admitted using material plagiarised from an article by Professor Stephen Kant in a piece he wrote for the Independent in the same year. Jeremy Donne QCfor the GMC, said: "The articles, we say, speak for themselves and they all demonstrate the extent Persaud has appropriated the work of others as his own. "We further allege that Dr Persaud has been dishonest... Dishonesty can be inferred from his repeated conduct in plagiarising the work of academics... thereby enhancing his professional reputation and standing with the public as well as enhancing himself in the press. His book went to the second edition and he was being paid for his articles. "All of this was at the expense of the hard work and scholarship of other people." Donne also accused Persaud of attempting to "exculpate" himself. He said Persaud blamed subeditors after an article he wrote for the Times Educational Supplement (TES) in February 2005 failed to acknowledge the scholar whose work he plagiarised. Professor Blass complained about the article and was told, in an email by Persaud, that he thought he had given him a mention. Persaud wrote: "When these columns are subedited a lot is often taken out and I don't get to see it before it goes out." The TES acknowledged that Persaud had "copied" the work of another scholar, Donne said. He added: "It's quite clear that the TES were not taking responsibility for subbing errors in their apology." At the time the allegations of plagiarism first emerged two years ago, Persaud was a consultant psychiatrist for the South London and Maudsley NHS Trust, a position he still holds. He was also a director of the now defunct Centre for Public Engagement in Mental Health Sciences at the Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College, University of London. He withdrew from this honorary position following the allegations. Donne said: "Dr Persaud is, and at the relevant time, was one of the country's best known psychiatrists. As such we say he occupies a place of particular prominence." Donne said Persaud was being "disingenuous" by claiming that he had acknowledged the original contributors to his book. He said: "While it's true the book contains a general acknowledgement there's no, or certainly no adequate, attribution of the passages themselves." Donne also said that Persaud's preamble and analysis of case studies in his book appeared as his own insights and opinions, "and not the work of the original authors". He said Persaud had asked for and received permission to quote an article by Richard Bentall, professor of experimental clinical psychology at Manchester University, for his book. He said: "Professor Bentall gave his permission assuming that Dr Persaud … would know that quotations would have appeared in parenthesis and be properly attributed. "Having seen the passage Professor Bentall was astonished that a substantial portion of his paper had simply been copied into the book in what he believes was a deliberate act of plagiarism." Donne said the British Medical Journal (BMJ) was forced to issue an "unequivocal retraction" in September 2005 after publishing an article by Persaud in which he failed to correctly attribute his work. The doctor blamed a "cutting and pasting error", the panel heard. The BMJ subsequently declined to publish another article by Persaud, Donne said. Persaud's articles appeared in journals including the British Medical Journal, Progress in Neurology and Psychiatry, and the Guardian and the Independent newspapers. The GMC hearing was adjourned until tomorrow. 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