A BOGUS doctor jailed after pretending to be a leading heart surgeon managed to secure a job as an expert researcher at the University of Liverpool.

But make-believe medic Michael Harris has now parted company with the institution – where he worked for at least three years – after the St Helens man’s alarming criminal past came to light.

Harris, then 34,was handed an eight-year jail term at Bolton Crown Court, in October, 1999, after admitting a string of offences committed while living a fantasy life as a doctor. Bolton Crown Court heard he conned money out of a “lonely” divorcee and deceived a father into handing over £6,000 in cash.

Harris was exposed after squirting morphine and crushed tablets into the mouth of dying friend David Hockin, 53, a fellow member of Aigburth lodge of the Freemasons, who was dying of bowel cancer.

Soon after Harris administered his “phoney” medicine, Mr Hockin died. Even when Mr Hockin was dying, Harris planned to steal thousands of pounds from his grieving family, Bolton Crown Court heard.

Another victim of Harris was a mother-of-two whom he blackmailed.

The divorcee told the court she was so petrified she slept with Harris after he threatened to slash her daughter’s face.

He was jailed after pleading guilty to blackmail, indecent assault, procuring a woman by threat, two charges of obtaining property by deception, one charge of administering a noxious substance, and two charges of counselling others to administer noxious substances.