Colleagues praise GP at Iraq cover-up tribunal

An ARMY doctor accused of a cover-up after Iraqi detainee Baha Mousa was beaten to death by British soldiers is an “exemplary professional”, medical watchdogs heard yesterday.

Dr Derek Keilloh, who is appearing before the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS), received glowing references from fellow medical professionals at the hearing in 
Manchester, lauding his hard work and dedication to his 
patients.

Dr Keilloh, now a GP in Yorkshire, claimed he only spotted dried blood around the nose of hotel receptionist Baha Mousa, who was arrested by soldiers from the 1st Battalion, Queen’s Lancashire Regiment (1 QLR) in September 2003.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mr Mousa, 26, was hooded, handcuffed and beaten before he died 36 hours after first being taken to the detention centre at the army HQ in the southern Iraq city of Basra. His body swollen and bruised, Mr Mousa, a father-of-two, suffered 93 separate injuries, including fractured ribs and a broken nose.

Dr Keilloh, 37, supervised a failed resuscitation attempt of the shirtless Mr Mousa.

But Dr Keilloh, at the time a captain and regimental medical officer of the battalion, did not report the abuse and has always maintained he did not see the victim’s catalogue of injuries.

Yesterday, fellow medics commended Dr Keilloh, now a GP at the Mayford House Surgery in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, for his professionalism.

Liz Corser, a nurse and care home manager in Northallerton, told the hearing, “He’s very empathic, very caring, always professional and courteous and never rushes anybody.”

Dr Keilloh, who graduated in medicine from the University of Aberdeen in 1998, is alleged to have failed to examine Baha Mousa and failed to check the condition of other detainees or notify senior officers about the “obvious” mistreatment.

He denies misconduct. The hearing continues.