Cocaine GP fights to regain his licence

Edinburgh GP Dr Colin Brown hit the headlines after he was caught up in a gay murder mystery in Gran Canaria four years ago. He had been held by police on the island before being cleared of any involvement and allowed to return to the UK.

Two years earlier he had been convicted of driving under the influence of drink and drugs and was struck off by the General Medical Council as he struggled with a cocaine problem.

Next month, the 43-year-old, who formerly lived in the Broughton area, will attempt to resurrect his career when he appears before the GMC in Manchester to discover if they will allow him to return to practice or extend his ban.

If the appeal is to be successful, it is understood he will not only have to convince the panel that he has turned his life around, but that he has kept up with advances in medicine while he has been suspended.

A GMC statement said: "Before the next review of his case, Dr Brown was advised that he would be expected to provide evidence of the steps that he has taken to keep his professional knowledge up to date."

It added that it was hoped this current punishment will have "sent out a signal to Dr Brown, members of the public and the medical profession that his repeated criminal behaviour and his misconduct is totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated".

Dr Brown had a successful medical career and was a popular GP in Brighton until he became embroiled in the drugs culture. He returned to Edinburgh but the trouble with the law continued.

He had four convictions from Edinburgh Sheriff Court, including a drug-driving charge for which he was sentenced to 180 hours of community service. He failed to notify the GMC of his convictions and was ultimately struck off.

In 2007, he was implicated after German tourist Karl Heinz Thonningen was stabbed in what detectives described as a "crime of passion".

They suspected him of sharing a drink with the 44-year-old in a gay bar, before attempting to take his own life with an overdose. Dr Brown denied this, but was taken into custody.

He was eventually released when Spanish forces "archived" the case, and returned to the Capital.

This time last year, the GMC opted to extend his ban by 12 months in a similar hearing, even though his lawyer said Dr Brown was "aware of his responsibility" and "had learned from his mistakes".

The Evening News was unable to contact Dr Brown, or his legal representative.