A FAMILY doctor has been found guilty of serious misconduct by medical watchdogs over the death of an Iraqi detainee and will now face possible sanctions against him working as a medic.

The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) concluded that Northallerton GP Dr Derek Keilloh’s fitness to practise is impaired as a result of his clinical misconduct.

It found Dr Keilloh, while serving as a 28-year-old captain new to his post of regimental medical officer in the Queens Lancashire Regiment in 2003, had:

• Committed a significant series of failings in respect of patient care

• Demonstrated a significant disregard for the health and wellbeing for detainees

• Had repeatedly been dishonest, which damaged public trust in the profession.

An MPTS spokesman told Dr Keilloh: “The panel determined that your fitness to practise is impaired in relation to your breach of a fundamental tenet of the profession.

“Probity is essential to the trust that the public places in the medical profession... the panel is in no doubt that your dishonesty amounted to serious misconduct.”

Dr Keilloh, a former doctor on the accident and emergency ward at the Friarage Hospital, Northallerton, and now of Mayford House Surgery, had denied any cover-up over the death of Iraqi hotel receptionist Baha Mousa after he was arrested and beaten by British soldiers in Basra.

Hooded with a sandbag for nearly 24 hours, Mr Mousa suffered 93 separate injuries including fractured ribs and a broken nose during the final 36 hours of his life in Army custody.

Dr Keilloh, the senior medic on duty who treated Mr Mousa, 26, on the night he died repeatedly denied any knowledge of such injuries and colleagues and patients in North Yorkshire told the hearing of his integrity and excellent care.

But the MPTS said Dr Keilloh should have been aware of the injuries to Mr Mousa, but failed to conduct an adequate examination of the body.

And knowing of the dead man’s condition he then failed to assess other detainees or protect them from further mistreatment and tell senior officers what was going on.

It said he engaged in misleading and dishonest conduct when, at court martials and a subsequent public inquiry, he maintained under oath he saw no injuries to Mr Mousa’s body.

The MPTS has the power to suspend or strike off doctors they find guilty of misconduct and is expected to make a ruling on Dr Keilloh’s future by Friday.