Medical records were destroyed and doctored to present victims of Britain's tainted blood scandal as drug addicts or alcoholics, an inquiry has heard, amid claims of an attempted "cover up".

A lawyer representing 250 victims told the independent Infected Blood Inquiry said many had given similar accounts of files disappearing, or “false information” added, which suggested their own behaviour had caused liver damage or infection with HIV.

Aidan O’Neill QC urged the chair Sir Brian Langstaff to investigate claims of a cover-up when full hearings open next Spring.

Another lawyer acting for victims said the infection of patients with HIV and hepatitis was an act akin to inflicting grievous bodily harm – or murder in cases where the patients died.

Criminal lawyer Sam Stein QC said: “It is clear that those responsible for the criminal infection of people with contaminated blood should be prosecuted. Those people who wiped out haemophiliacs and other people should be made to pay for their crimes.”

Lloyd Williams QC, who is representing 107 victims and two haemophilia charities, told how one married woman was accused of having multiple sexual partners or using illegal drugs when she was diagnosed with hepatitis C.