By Sid Astbury
Sydney - A US doctor was jailed on Thursday for seven years over the deaths of three of his patients while he was a surgeon in a Queensland hospital.
Indian-born Jayant Patel was hired by Australian health authorities in 2003 despite citations for negligence in the US states of Oregon and New York.
He pleaded not guilty to three counts of manslaughter and one count of causing grievous bodily harm during his time at Bundaberg Base Hospital.
Lurid tales that portrayed Patel as a monster led to a backlash against overseas-trained doctors in Australia.
Patel, 60, was initially alleged to have been implicated in the deaths of 87 patients, but a government inquiry into the so-called Dr Death scandal reported that he possibly contributed to the deaths of eight patients.
It also found he saved the lives of five patients after medical blunders by others at Bundaberg, 370 kilometres north of Brisbane.
Patel, who left Australia in 2005, was extradited from the United States to face trial in 2008.
The guilty verdict passed this week needs to be upheld by a higher court. There is also likely to be an appeal.
Judge John Byrne said there had been "poor decision-making, misdiagnosis, performing surgery on patients who could not withstand it, performing surgery at the wrong hospital and the removal of healthy organs."
Patel is in custody while awaiting the outcome of his case. - Sapa-dpa