A BIOMEDICAL scientist who turned up to work smelling of alcohol, sent homophobic messages to a colleague and had to be escorted from a hospital by security, a disciplinary panel found.

Tahir Butt, who worked at Colchester Hospital, was found to have used derogatory words to a colleague.

A Health and Care Professions Tribunal panel heard Butt twice turned up to work smelling of alcohol.

After he was given a verbal warning, Butt attended a work social event with several colleagues, where he is alleged to have behaved aggressively towards a colleague.

The panel heard he hit a window in anger.

The following day, Butt was found to have sent abusive text messages and a voicemail to a colleague.

In January 2018, Butt was called to a meeting, where he was to be sacked.

The panel heard he became aggressive, threatening members of staff before security was called to escort him from the premises.

In a statement to the panel, Butt offered his apologies to his colleagues.

“I do believe at the time I was not in the right frame of mind, due to loneliness and personal troubles after the holiday season,” he said.

“I admit I most likely was consuming too much alcohol at the time due to this.”

Butt was also found to have incorrectly bar coded and booked at least three blood transfusion samples.

The panel heard from a witness this was “a serious error and could be life threatening.”

The panel imposed a 12-month suspension order adding: “The Registrant’s conduct was serious and he abused his colleagues.

“However, at this stage, the panel concluded that a striking off order would go further than was currently necessary to protect the public.”