Greek doctors on strike to support convicted medics

The walkout by doctors happened at Rhodes Hospital, where Christopher Rochester, 24, from Chester-le-Street, County Dur-ham, died three years ago.

On Friday, Michael Sokorelos, George Karavolias and Sergios Pavlidis were convicted of manslaughter by negligence and sentenced to three years in prison by a Greek court.

Those sentences were suspended pending an appeal. Two nurses who were charged with manslaughter by neglect were cleared.

Christopher's stepfather, George Cummings, said he was disgusted by the strike action after being told the news by the family's Greek solicitor, Sotirios Manolkidis.

Mr Cummings said: ''Our aim was to ensure that anyone who stepped into that hospital got proper treatment but, within a few days, there is a walkout.

''The only people who will suffer are patients.

''Mr Manolkidis said it is a token walkout in a show of solidarity for the doctors and that it was wrong they were convicted.

''We are very concerned that if doctors at the hospital are not carrying out their duties, then who is?

''There are still a lot of tourists on the island and what will happen if someone is rushed in like Christopher was?

''It is disgraceful that they are doing this."

Mr Rochester died hours after he fell from an apartment balcony in June 2000.

Three doctors and two nurses were put on trial after a lengthy campaign by his family and North Durham MP Kevan Jones.

Mr Jones said he intended to lobby Parliament and the Foreign Office over the health and legal provision on the island.

After hearing of the strike, he said: ''The judges agreed with the family that there was something seriously wrong with this hospital and the doctors should be addressing the problems, not holding strike actions."

The family has vowed to fight the appeal, which is expected to take up to three years to come to court.

They are arranging a number of fundraising events to help cover costs.