Doctor found not guilty of manslaughter in Londonderry

A doctor has been found not guilty of manslaughter in a case involving a patient’s death at a care home. Dr. Ivan Pepelyashkov faced charges related to the death of Michele McGuigan in Londonderry in May 2018. He denied the accusations and was set to stand trial at Belfast Crown Court. During the court session, a prosecution barrister informed the judge that the Crown would not present any evidence against Dr. Pepelyashkov. Following this, the judge directed the jury to enter a plea of "not guilty." The judge then declared that Dr. Pepelyashkov was free to go. While details of the case were not disclosed in court, it is believed the charges were linked to an incident at the Owen Mor Care Centre. Another party, Easteden Limited, which owns the care home, has also been charged with a health and safety violation connected to the same incident. The company has denied the charge, and a trial is expected in the future.