A LIFE'S WORK

Since qualifying as a doctor in 1977, Richard Shepherd has seen more trauma than most. He tells James Rampton about his career, and the importance of having a sense of humour

- James Rampton

Dr Richard Shepherd, one of the country’s most distinguished forensic pathologists, has led a life immersed in death.

He has presided over more than 23,000 autopsies, and his work has involved him in some of the most shocking tragedies that have befallen the world over the past 40 years: 9/11, 7/7, the death of Princess Diana, the murder of Stephen Lawrence, the serial killings of Dr Harold Shipman, the Hungerford massacre, the suicide of Dr David Kelly, the Cumbria shootings, the murder of Jo Cox MP and the Bali bombings.

Since qualifying as a doctor in 1977, Shepherd has witnessed enough trauma to last several lifetimes. And yet he remained, apparently, unaffected by all the death and devastation he had seen – until one tiny, seemingly innocuous moment in 2016 changed everything.

The 68-year-old, who is married to Linda, a forensic physician, and has two adult children, Chris and Anna, takes up the story. “You know you can buy cubes of ice in a bag at the supermarket? That’s what we have in the fridge, as I’m sure many people do. One evening, I was mixing my wife a gin and tonic, so I opened the freezer door and grabbed a couple of ice cubes.