Respected family GP from Bournemouth accused of trying to hire hitman to murder financial adviser

A respected family GP from Bournemouth has been charged with soliciting a murder after he allegedly tried to hire a hitman to kill a financial adviser.

Dr David Crichton, 63, is accused of having plotted the killing of Andrew Bolden from his £750,000 detached home in the leafy suburb of Winton.

He is said to have "solicited, encouraged, persuaded or endeavoured to persuade or proposed to a person unknown" to murder the financial expert.

Dr Crichton, of Cawdor Road, has also been charged with sending Bolden electronic communications, namely emails and text messages, which conveyed a threat for the purpose of causing distress or anxiety to the recipient.

This allegedly continued for eight months, between 26 July, 2016 and 4 March, 2017.

Having first appeared at Poole Magistrates' Court for a preliminary hearing on 21 September, Dr Crichton was released on bail on condition he did not contact Bolden or employees at the alleged victim's workplace at Edinburgh-based Brown Shipley Financial Advisers.

Dr Crichton is due to appear for a plea hearing at Bournemouth Crown Court on 19 October.

Bolden has worked in the financial services sector for 31 years and specialises in advising members of the medical and academic professions, according to a profile on his company's website.

Dr Crichton used to work at the James Fisher Medical Centre GP surgery in Tolpuddle Gardens, Bournemouth.

He was previously director of the South Coast Medical Group Ltd, which oversees the Providence Surgery in Walpole Road, Boscombe, Bournemouth. He resigned in 2013.

He continues to hold his directorship at Muscliff Care Home, according to Companies House records.

Dr Crichton studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh, graduating in 1977. He has since relinquished his registration to the General Medical Council.