CAMPAIGNERS fighting for a North Yorkshire doctor to be re-instated are refusing to give up hope, despite his decision not to appeal.

Derek Keilloh, 38, was struck off in December after the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) concluded he had repeatedly lied under oath over his treatment of an Iraqi detainee in Basra in 2003.

The 38-year-old was a newly qualified doctor with the Queen's Lancashire Regiment when he tried to save Baha Mousa, 26, who had been beaten by British troops.

Campaigner Fiona Binns, a former patient of Dr Keilloh, said that although he had been advised not to appeal due to a lack of any new evidence, she still believed his supporters could make a difference.

“We are not going to give up. If we can’t get them to overturn the outright ban, we are asking for a 12-month suspension instead.”

Ms Binns said in the next three weeks the group hopes to canvas across the UK.

She added: “Support is strong outside of Northallerton and North Yorkshire because people can see how important he was to our community and can see that he should be allowed to return to work.

“I have spoken to William Hague MP and he has agreed to pass on our new petition, at you.38degrees.org.uk/support-Derek-Keilloh, which already has 860 signatures, to the MPTS.

“At the time of the incident in Iraq he was a young doctor put in a situation beyond his experience – but he consistently maintained that he did not report inhumane treatment of detainees because he had no knowledge of it."