Community lends support to GP struck off over Iraq death

Those behind the campaign, who this week organised a public meeting in support of Dr Derek Keilloh, attended by around 300 people, want the decision overturned.

The former Army doctor was struck off for failing to report injuries suffered by Iraqi detainee Baha Mousa at the hands of British soldiers who beat him to death.

Doug Doherty, of Northallerton, a patient of the GP, said: “The whole purpose of the meeting was to show Dr Keilloh the level of support that there was out there.”

He said it also intended to send a clear message of the community’s “outrage.” He said the GP’s supporters now intended to give him space to decide whether to appeal.

Dr Keilloh supervised a failed resuscitation attempt to save Mr Mousa’s life. Mr Mousa had been hooded for nearly 24 hours and severely beaten by soldiers after they arrested him, wrongly believing him to be an insurgent.

Dr Keilloh claimed later that the only sign of injury he saw was dried blood around the nose of Mr Mousa, while giving mouth-to-mouth and CPR.

The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service announced its decision to ban Dr Keilloh from working as a doctor in December after finding him guilty of misconduct.

The panel heard Dr Keilloh, then aged 28 and only eight weeks into the job, was inexperienced, inadequately-trained and given little supervision. It recognised Dr Keilloh, a GP at Mayford House Surgery in Northallerton, never harmed Mr Mousa and did “everything possible” to save his life. But it ruled he must have seen the injuries and had a duty to act.