Dr Heath resigned after his conduct was called into question

The forensic pathology watchdog ruled Dr Michael Heath's inadequate post-mortem examinations on two women led to their partners' murder trials.

The attorney general will now decide if all his cases should be reviewed.

He has conducted examinations in the murders of Lin and Megan Russell and the death of Stuart Lubbock.

Mr Lubbock's body was found in the swimming pool at entertainer Michael Barrymore's home in Harlow, Essex, in March 2001.

An open verdict was recorded at an inquest and no-one has been charged in connection with the death.

It will be a matter for the attorney general's office to now decide whether all his cases should be reviewed Home Office

Dr Heath has conducted hundreds of examinations since being appointed to his role in 1991.

A Home Office spokeswomen said the Advisory Board for Forensic Pathology had been due to reconvene on Monday.

"But Dr Heath informed the members that he was resigning from the register," she added.

"The hearing has now been cancelled.

"It will be a matter for the attorney general's office to now decide whether all his cases should be reviewed."

Dr Heath was unavailable for comment on Saturday.

Questions raised

The six-week hearing in London was told that Dr Heath refused to back down on his view that the two women had been murdered despite mounting evidence to the contrary.

In one case, Steven Puaca, of Lowestoft, was jailed at Norwich Crown Court in 2002 for killing Jacqueline Tindsley, 55. Mr Puaca was later cleared by the Appeal Court.

The second involved Kenneth Fraser, who faced an Old Bailey trial, also in 2002, for murdering Mary Anne Moore, 56, but was cleared by a jury.

Charles Miskin QC, for the Home Office, told the hearing that in neither case was there any substantial evidence of unlawful killing, except Dr Heath's testimony.

Following the trial of Mr Fraser, the Home Office received a letter from three leading pathologists who disagreed with Dr Heath's assertion that Miss Moore had been battered to death.

All three agreed Ms Moore's injuries were consistent with falling down the stairs.

The board had found that, in both cases, Dr Heath's professional performance fell short of the standards required of forensic pathologists.

It also upheld 20 disciplinary charges against him.