A doctor who cut his wife’s throat under the belief she was suffocating and waited three hours to call an ambulance has accused a camera crew of questioning him about her death.
Melbourne sleep physician Dr Peter Spencer has been referred to prosecutors for suspected negligent homicide over the January 2015 death of his wife Mayumi, 29.
He was suspended by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) last Tuesday.
A camera crew from A Current Affair confronts Dr. Spencer about his wife’s death while he is working in a park.
Reporter Sam Cucciara asks him if he killed her, why he waited three hours to call an ambulance, if he injected her with cocaine, and if he wanted to say anything to his wife’s loved ones.
Dr Peter Spencer (pictured) accused a Current Affair camera crew after confronting the sleep doctor about his wife’s death in 2015
When he was questioned, Dr. Spencer charged the camera man and ran into his car before driving away.
Japanese-born Ms Spencer, 29, was found dead in her apartment on Caravel Lane, Docklands, on January 17, 2015, with a high level of cocaine in her system.
Her husband told a coronial inquest into her death that he tried to resuscitate her at around 4am when she passed out and started vomiting.
The court was told he believed he had a blockage in his throat and unsuccessfully attempted a cricothyroidotomy – an emergency procedure to open the airway – with a knife and a pen.
Dr Spencer then called emergency services at 7.38am – almost three hours after she started choking.
Victorian Coroner’s Judge John Kane said, ‘His temperature was taken and recorded as 33.2C, suggesting he had been dead for a considerable period of time.’
‘The available evidence indicates that when Dr Spencer allegedly noticed that Mrs Spencer was in need of treatment… and when he contacted the emergency services.’
Japanese-born Mayumi Spencer (pictured), 29, was found dead in her apartment on Caravel Lane, Docklands, on January 17, 2015, with a high level of cocaine in her system.
A Current Affair asked Dr. Spencer if he killed his wife, why he waited three hours to call an ambulance, if he injected her with cocaine, and if he wanted to say anything to his wife’s loved ones before he ran to his car and drove off.
In his published findings, Judge Kane found that the couple had a history of domestic violence, including emotional abuse and coercion, suggesting behavior control.
The court was told that Mrs Spencer had revealed to friends that her husband had occasionally thrown her out of the house, punched, slapped and pushed her and sent her abusive messages calling her a ‘s***’ and a ‘whore’. .
Judge Cain said one allegation was that he was injected with cocaine ‘against his will’.
‘On at least one occasion, Ms Spencer suggested to a friend that she was afraid of Dr Spencer,’ he said.
Dr Spencer has been referred to prosecutors for suspected manslaughter over his wife’s death and was suspended by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) last Tuesday.
The court was told that Mrs Spencer had revealed to friends that her husband had occasionally thrown her out of the house, punched, slapped and pushed her and sent her abusive messages.
Judge Kane found in 2012, Mrs Spencer had moved out and told her husband she wanted a divorce.
She told friends and family that she had no money and could not return home because Dr. Spencer had her passport.
The pair eventually reconciled and dropped domestic violence proceedings in court.
On November 28, 2022, Dr Spencer made a number of statements … (which) indicated observations that the couple had been happy in the 18 months following the tragic event and that Mrs Spencer had expressed a desire to have children,’ Judge Kane said.
Judge Kane ultimately found that Mrs. Spencer died of cocaine poisoning.
No one has been charged over Ms Spencer’s death and Judge Kane said he could not determine whether she could have been saved if the emergency services had been called sooner.
Dr. Spencer has not been charged with any crime in Mayumi’s death and has admitted no wrongdoing
However, he said an indictable offense could still be committed.
He said, ‘I believe the necessary standard is Dr Spencer’s duty of care due to the delay in obtaining immediate emergency medical assistance and upon discovering Mrs Spencer in need of emergency medical assistance.’
‘Accordingly…I direct that the Chief Registrar inform the Director of Public Prosecutions that I believe a criminal offense may have been committed in connection with the death of Ms Spencer.’
Dr. Spencer has not been charged with any crime in Mayumi’s death and has admitted no wrongdoing.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault or domestic violence, contact the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence Counseling Service 24-hour helpline 1800 RESPECT 1800 737 732