A hospital surgeon accused of pestering female staff and bullying, was not aware of complaints about his behaviour, the General Medical Council heard on Friday.

Dr Mohannad Al-Fallouji, 51, is alleged to have carried out a four-year campaign of sexual harassment whole working as a consultant surgeon at the Pilgrim Hospital in Boston, Lincolnshire from 1995 to 1999.

It is alleged he was also rude, cold and insensitive to dying cancer patients and bullied other doctors to the point that they ended up in tears.

But Malcolm Fortune, defending the surgeon, told the professional conduct committee Dr Al-Fallouji denied the allegations of inappropriate behaviour.

'Conspiracy''

Mr Fortune said the surgeon, an Iraqi who qualified from Baghdad University, was primarily concerned for the care of his patients.

He said: "Much of the conduct is denied by him or has been taken wholly or in part out of context, and needs to be taken in view of the general background of banter and the apparent lack of complaints at the time.

"Perhaps looking back he did make some enemies at the hospital.

"He has questioned whether there was a conspiracy to oust him from the Pilgrim Hospital."

Dr Fallouji worked at Pilgrim Hospital for years

A number of former patients and colleagues of the surgeon have told the hearing that he had saved lives and was an excellent doctor.

Earlier the hearing, now in its third week, heard claims that the doctor, a married man, kissed, hugged, and even bit "attractive and pretty" female staff.

A ward sister alleged that he put his hands up her skirt and into her underwear, and a nurse said he gave her a love bite.

A hospital receptionist, three medical students, five nurses and a hospital support worker have told the committee the surgeon also made inappropriate sexual comments about oral sex and pornographic films.

Junior staff did not make official complaints because they did not want to "rock the boat" and question the conduct of a senior hospital surgeon the hearing was told.

But an investigation was launched after three medical students complained to the Dean of the medical school at Leicester University.

Bee keeper

Dr Al-Fallouji from Liversedge, West Yorkshire, has been suspended since May 1999.

He is a beekeeper in his spare time and has written a medical paper on the medical aspects of love bite injuries.

The doctor faces being struck off if found guilty of serious professional misconduct.

He denies all the allegations.