Derek Mills, 67, was sacked after he was wrongly accused of kissing an elderly patient

A hospital porter 'unfairly' sacked after he was wrongly accused of kissing an elderly patient has been refused his job back.

Royal Navy veteran Derek Mills, 67, said his life was 'ruined' after the false allegations were made in April 2015.

He was dismissed from his job at Eastbourne General Hospital, after a confused elderly patient said he kissed her on the cheek in front of staff and patients.

The father-of-three was then arrested and charged with sexual assault, but at the last minute prosecutors decided to offer no evidence against him and he was acquitted.

Mr Mills has fought a two-year campaign to clear his name, which he said caused 'untold stress' and almost cost him his life, after he suffered a heart attack.

Recently an employment judge ruled his dismissal was 'fundamentally misconceived' and 'unfair' and ordered hospital bosses reinstate him by September 9.

But the Trust has defied the court ruling and is refusing to give him back his £30,000-a-year job.

Mr Mills, who served on HMS Norfolk with Prince Charles in the 1970s, said his life had been 'turned into a nightmare' by the ordeal.

'These false allegations have totally ruined my life, my financial wellbeing and my health.

'From the moment they were made my whole life turned into a nightmare as I tried to prove my innocence', he said.

Mr Mills, pictured as a 17-year-old sailor, served in the Royal Navy from 1965-73, during which he was based in Aden and Singapore

Mr Mills, pictured fifth from left, during an inspection on HMS Forth, while stationed in Singapore during 1970-71

'The impact on me and my family has been enormous but eventually I was cleared by the courts and an employment tribunal judge backed my case and ordered that I be reinstated.

'Despite all this they are refusing to give me back my job. It is like the hospital is saying: ''There's no smoke without fire''. Where is the justice in that?', he added.

Mr Mills, who served in the Royal Navy as an electrical mechanic from 1965-73, wasdue to face a trial but last September.

However, as he prepared for the case, he suffered a massive heart attack.

Father-of-three Mr Mills said the ordeal with Eastbourne General Hospital had 'ruined his life'

Ironically he was rushed to Eastbourne General Hospital - the very hospital he was banned from stepping foot inside.

He underwent lifesaving surgery and is now on a strict drug regimen.

He said: 'My health is shattered and all my confidence has gone.

'I almost lost my life as a result of these false allegations. I have had a shroud of suspicion over me for two years.'

Mr Mills, who has been a hospital porter since 2008, said: 'Thankfully I was able to clear my name in court and then won the employment tribunal but all I want it to be able to go back into the hospital with my head held high.'

Mr Mills said he had not had a 'decent night's sleep since April 2015' due to the ordeal

When he went back to Eastbourne General Hospital following the tribunal victory his own managers prevented him from entering.

He was then told his start date was under review and that he may not be allowed to return to his job at all.

Mr Mills said: 'I was shocked. I have been through a court case and a tribunal to prove my innocence.

'The hospital trust has been ordered to reinstate me yet is disobeying the orders of a judge. Surely that can't be right.'

He said: 'I haven't had a decent night's sleep since April 2015 and it has been a living nightmare.

'Winning the tribunal was great because I thought I'd finally get my job back. That's what I want more than anything.'

'I love that job. I love talking to people and caring for them and I want to work well into my 70s.'

Despite the ruling from Judge Eoin Fowell at the London South Employment Tribunal, Monica Green, East Sussex Health Trust's Director of Human Resources at Eastbourne Hospital said yesterday: 'We have given careful consideration to the judgment of the London South Employment Tribunal and the order to re-instate Mr Mills to his role as porter.

'Given the serious nature of the incident, which we consider to be gross misconduct, we decided not to reinstate him.

'In making that decision we considered the views of safeguarding advisors and the safety of our patients which has to be paramount.

'We accept our decision not to re-instate Mr Mills is disappointing for him but our overriding consideration is the safety of our patients.'