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Paediatrician Professor David Southall appeared in front of the General Medical Council this week over allegations he inappropriately accused a mother of murdering her son.

Southall was banned from child protection work for three years in August 2004 after the GMC found him guilty of serious professional misconduct for accusing Sally Clark's husband of killing their sons after watching a television documentary in 2000.

Sally Clark was wrongly jailed for their murder in 1999.

In the new case Southall is accused of abusing his professional position and adding to the distress of a bereaved person after accusing a mother of drugging and then murdering her son by hanging him.

Southall interviewed the woman in 1998 after being requested to prepare an assessment for a local authority in relation to care proceedings for the dead child's younger brother.

Southall is also facing allegations that he did not act in the best interests of four other children and that his actions "amounted to keeping secret medical records on them".

He is also accused of failing to treat the children's mothers politely and considerately and of not respecting their privacy and dignity.