TWO junior doctors have their careers in ruins after being convicted of the manslaughter of a patient in their care.

A jury at Winchester Crown Court delivered majority guilty verdicts on both men after deliberating for almost nine hours, and hearing a lengthy trial at Winchester Crown Court.

Mr Phillips, who lived with partner Annabell Grant and five-year-old son Mitchell in Southampton, went into Southampton General Hospital for a routine knee operation on June 23, 2000. He should have been discharged four days later.

Instead four days later he was dead after developing heart and renal problems brought on by a bacterial infection.

The prosecution said Dr Amit Misra, 33, and Dr Rajeev Srivastava, 37, were grossly negligent in their treatment of Mr Phillips.

Both were sentenced to 18 months' jail, suspended for two years.

After the verdict Misra's barrister, Michael Gledhill, said: "There was a failing of care from top to bottom in respect of Sean Phillips.

"These two defendants have been left to carry the burden while others who were responsible, although not to the same degree, escaped."

Kieran Coonan, mitigating for Srivastava, said: "He will have to live with this for the rest of his life.

"He has suffered in other ways. His career in this country, which only a short time ago showed so much promise, is now bound to come to an end."

The General Medical Council - the doctors' national disciplinary body - is to consider whether to strike both doctors off the register, preventing Misra, now living in Bracknell and Srivastava, now of Dumfries, from practising in the UK.

Passing sentence, judge Mr Justice Gordon Langley said: "Manslaughter is a very serious crime. It was for the jury to determine if your conduct was so bad it should be characterised in that way.

"In my judgement you have been convicted of an offence so serious that only a custodial sentence can follow.

"That said, you are both men with young families and your future in the medical profession is now in doubt and that is a real loss to both of you."

He went on to grant both junior doctors leave to appeal the verdict.

After the sentencing Mr Phillip's partner, Annabell Grant, said: "Justice has been served for Sean.

"I would like to thank the police for their support and perseverance with the investigation.

"My son Mitchell is without his father for the rest of his life.

"This should never be allowed to happen to anyone again."

Mr Phillips' father Miles said: "I am very pleased. My son has justice now."

See the Review section of today's Daily Echo for more on the background to this story.