Fundraising page set up for disgraced liver surgeon Published duration 17 January 2018

image caption The former surgeon branded his initials into the livers of two patients

A fundraising campaign has been launched in support of disgraced liver surgeon Simon Bramhall.

One of Bramhall's patients set up the page, claiming he and his work were "highly valued".

The fundraising target is £10,000 - the same amount Bramhall was fined last week - after branding his initials on to the livers of two of his patients.

The fund money will go to the British Liver Trust which said his actions were "inexcusable".

Former patient Barbara Moss said she set up the donation page because the surgeon was a "man of excellence".

The page states: "We are aiming to match Simon's fine of £10,000 and donate this to his chosen charity: The British Liver Trust. This in no way conflicts with the fine that Simon pays himself."

So far, 14 supporters have pledged a total of £485. They said they wanted him to continue in his career because "his talents should not be wasted".

Judi Rhys, chief executive of the British Liver Trust, said the organisation did not condone Bramhall's "profoundly disrespectful" actions in any way.

Bramhall, 53, of Tarrington, Herefordshire, used an argon beam machine to write his initials on the organs of the anaesthetised patients in 2013 while working at Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

He resigned from his job at the hospital in 2014.

He admitted two counts of assault by beating at Birmingham Crown Court in December 2017 and was sentenced to a 12-month community order and fined £10,000 a month later.