Doctor who cut wife’s throat with kitchen knife won’t face criminal charges

A doctor who sliced open his dead wife’s throat and waited more than three hours to call an ambulance won’t be charged after detectives found there was “insufficient evidence” to secure a conviction.

Dr Peter Spencer won’t face criminal charges over the death of his wife. Picture: Facebook

A doctor who waited more than three hours to call an ambulance after slicing open his dying wife’s throat won’t face criminal charges.

Suspended sleep and respiratory physician Dr Peter Spencer was investigated by the homicide squad over the death of his wife Mayumi Spencer in their Docklands apartment in January 2015.

Ms Spencer died of cocaine toxicity, the drug taken intravenously by her and her husband, who sliced open her throat with a kitchen knife and pen believing she was suffering a “blockage” which was preventing her from breathing.

The physician performed CPR on his wife, who he said was dead when he got to her, and waited three-and-a-half hours to call an ambulance.

A 2023 inquest into Ms Spencer’s death by State Coroner Judge John Cain found the doctor’s delay in calling for medical help could constitute negligent manslaughter and the case was referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions for potential criminal charges.

Dr Peter Spencer cut his wife’s throat with a kitchen knife believing she was suffering a ‘blockage’. Pictures: Channel 9

However new legal documents reveal the homicide investigation has been dropped with no charges to be laid against Dr Spencer.

The decision was outlined in a Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal ruling which upheld Dr Spencer’s suspension by the Medical Board of Australia.

Prosecutors determined there was “insufficient evidence” to secure a criminal conviction against the doctor.

“While there was a considerable delay in Dr Spencer calling for assistance, there was an absence of sufficient information from medical experts as to whether Ms Spencer would have survived had emergency services been called sooner,” the legal document states.

“In other words, there was insufficient evidence, for the purposes of a criminal conviction, that Dr Spencer’s delay in calling an ambulance caused Ms Spencer’s death.”

Mayumi Spencer died of cocaine toxicity. Pictures: Channel 9

In a statement to the Herald Sun, Victoria Police said that while the investigation is closed “any new information received about the death will be thoroughly assessed”.

Associate Professor Naren Gunja, who specialises in emergency medicine, found Ms Spencer would have been afforded “the best chance of survival” if she’d received immediate specialised intervention and prompt transportation to hospital.

Dr Spencer defended the delay in calling emergency services, saying despite her being dead upon getting to her, he proceeded with CPR which prevented him from searching for his or his wife’s phone to call an ambulance.

“My wife was not in a state requiring urgent medical assistance. My wife was dead when I arrived to her,” Dr Spencer stated.

“We had both used narcotics at roughly the same time. I performed a duty of care to my wife, by commencing CPR as fast and efficiently as humanly possible given the circumstances.”

The doctor insists the coronial investigation into his wife’s death was “corrupt” and is appealing the findings in the Supreme Court.

His medical suspension will be reviewed by the medical board if the court rules in his favour.

The ruling will be made at a later date.