HUDDERSFIELD GP Dev Dutt has told a General Medical Council hearing that a doctor he is accusing of misconduct was part of a conspiracy to ruin his life.

Dr Dutt has complained to the GMC about psychiatrist Dr Nick Cooling - who previously worked at the Nuffield Hospital in Birkby.

The complaint centres on two letters written by Dr Cooling in 2003 - one to the GP of Dr Dutt's ex-wife Catherine and one to a judge sitting during the Dutts' divorce hearing.

The letters expressed concerns about Dr Dutt's conduct and mental state.

Dr Dutt says because Dr Cooling never met him or examined him, sending the letters amounted to serious professional misconduct.

The GMC's Fitness To Practise Panel is holding a hearing in Manchester to decide whether Dr Cooling is guilty of the accusation.

Dr Dutt gave evidence on the first day of the hearing on Monday and was cross-examined yesterday by Dr Cooling's barrister, David Evans.

Mr Evans claimed that Dr Dutt did meet Dr Cooling about 20 times while the consultant psychiatrist was working in the Huddersfield area during the 1990s. He now works in Battersea, London.

Mr Evans said Dr Dutt had referred patients to Dr Cooling and produced an alleged letter of referral.

Mr Evans also claimed the two men spoke when Mrs Dutt was admitted into Dr Cooling's care at the Nuffield Hospital in 2003.

Dr Dutt denied referring patients to Dr Cooling and denied ever speaking to him.

He claimed the letter could have been sent by a colleague at his single-handed GP practice, or by a member of "the network" - friends of his ex-wife who were conspiring to ruin his life.

He said he had been called names and received threatening phone calls.

He said Dr Cooling was a member of "the network". He said: "There is a campaign against me, I don't know the reason for it."

Dr Dutt admitted making complaints to the police and lodging cases at the county court against members of "the network".

Mr Evans asked Dr Dutt: "Do you think the number of complaints you made and attribution of a network and conspiracy against you was motivated by a bitterness or need for recrimination against people who supported your wife?"

Dr Dutt denied this. He also denied Mr Evans's accusations that he was a jealous man who constantly checked up on his wife, locked her in the house to prevent her going out and installed security cameras in their home in Fixby to monitor her.

Dr Dutt said the cameras were to protect against burglars and that it was he who had been treated badly.

Mr Evans asked Dr Dutt - who broke down in tears twice during the hearing - if he felt his mental state was normal while he was under pressure during the divorce.

He replied: "Absolutely normal. My mental state was never in question. I'm going to doubt the mental state of Dr Cooling himself."

The hearing continues.