Michael Siew Loong Ng (Appellant) v Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (Respondent)

Case summary

Case ID

JCPC/2025/0069

Jurisdiction

United Kingdom

Parties

Appellant(s)

Michael Siew Loong Ng

Respondent(s)

Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons

Issue

(1) Whether the admissions made by the Appellant before the Disciplinary Committee of the Respondent (the “Disciplinary Committee”) should be vacated on appeal? (2) Whether “new” evidence produced by the Appellant since the original hearing should be admissible?

Facts

The Appellant, Michael Siew Loong Ng, is appealing the decision of the Disciplinary Committee to remove his name from the Register of Veterinary Surgeons (the “Decision”). In January 2020, the Appellant came out of retirement to work as a registered veterinary surgeon at a practice owned by his relative and then, following their eventual disagreement, on his own account. The Decision concerned multiple charges brought by the Disciplinary Committee regarding this period. In outline, such charges included the Appellant’s inadequate clinical record-keeping, his use of ‘cherry eye surgery’ on Bulldogs by amputation of the Harderian gland, conducting Caesarean surgery without trained assistance, and his alteration/deletion of records. The Decision resulted from a contested hearing before the Disciplinary Committee spanning 15 days (the “Hearing”). Prior to the Hearing, a large amount of material had been disclosed to the Appellant by the Respondent. The Disciplinary Committee agreed to defer the Hearing to the Appellant’s requested date. At the outset of the Hearing, the Appellant made certain admissions in respect of the charges related to the use of ‘cherry eye surgery’, inadequate record-keeping, Caesarean surgeries, and interfering with records. Following the Hearing, the Disciplinary Committee considered that the Appellant’s actions amounted to disgraceful conduct and that he should be removed from the Register of Veterinary Surgeons. The Appellant now seeks to admit new evidence and commentary and argues that the previous admissions before the Disciplinary Committee should be ignored. This appeal is brought to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council as of right pursuant to section 17 of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966.

Date of issue

21 July 2025

Case origin

Appeal As of Right

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