:Richard Starkie

{{Short description|British doctor known as an abortion care provider}}

{{about||the musician whose real name is Richard Starkey|Ringo Starr|the politician|Richard Starke}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

Richard William Starkie (1876–1937) was a British doctor who was charged with distributing illegal narcotics while providing abortions in 1921.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/801721087/?match=1&terms=%22Richard%20Starkie%22%20abortion | title=Police Surgeon Charges | date=September 14, 1921 | newspaper=Newcastle Daily Chronicle | page=10 | access-date=20 January 2025}}

Starkie was a well-known London doctor who was a member of the Royal College of Surgeons, licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians, Police Surgeon for the Y Division of the Metropolitan Police, and medical officer to the St. Pancras Battalion.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/814846175/?match=1&terms=%22Richard%20Starkie%22%20police%20surgeon | title=Police Surgeon In The Dock | date=September 13, 1921 | newspaper=Western Mail | location=Cardiff | page=8| access-date=20 January 2025}} He began performing illegal abortions on women during the early 1900s. He continued providing abortions until his arrest on 17 July 1921, and was charged with administering narcotics for the purpose of providing an abortion for a married woman as well as prior abortion operations for four unmarried patients. The British Crown's case was prosecuted by Sir Richard David Muir. Although acquitted on the abortion charges, Starkie was found guilty for administering illicit drugs and sentenced to nine months hard labor at Wormwood Scrubs Prison.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/940542386/?match=1&terms=%22Richard%20Starkie%22%20abortion | title=Dr. Starkie Sentenced to Hard Labor | date=September 18, 1921 | newspaper=The Sunday People | location=London | page=1 | access-date=20 January 2025}} He was reportedly met by about 600 of his former patients following his release.

Starkie lost his medical qualifications as a physician and his name was removed from the Medical Register. In 1929, Starkie was convicted of illegally writing prescriptions for heroin.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/258728242/?match=1&terms=%22Richard%20Starkie%22%20police%20surgeon | title=Gaol For Former Police Surgeon | newspaper=The Guardian | date=December 3, 1929 | location=Manchester | page=8 | access-date=20 January 2025}} Due to Starkie's age and poor health, the judge changed the initial sentence of 12 months at hard labor to 12 months in prison.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/859137313/?match=1&terms=%22Richard%20Starkie%22%20police%20surgeon | title=Former Police Surgeon Sent to Prison | date=December 2, 1929 | newspaper=Herald & Express | location=Devon | page=5 | access-date=20 January 2025}}

After prison, Starkie and his wife used their home as a boarding house.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/1102183131/?match=1&terms=%22Richard%20Starkie%22%20police%20surgeon | title=Doctor- Boarding House Keeper | newspaper=Shepparton Advertiser | date=December 10, 1937 | page=13 | access-date=20 January 2025}} He died in "relative obscurity" in 1937 at the age of 61.