A CANCER survivor has spoken passionately in support of a Redditch surgeon who has been fined £10,000 for burning his initials onto the livers of two unconscious transplant patients.

The Advertiser reported last week that Simon Bramhall was sentenced to a 12-month community order, 120 hours unpaid work and hit with the fine.

Prosecutors said Bramhall boasted to a colleague "this is what I do", with the judge describing it as "professional arrogance that strayed into criminal behaviour".

Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital said the matter had been dealt with via the appropriate authorities, and reassured patients there was no impact on the quality of his clinical outcomes.

Barbara Moss, from Worcester, says she is one of hundreds who are supporting him, and feel the case should have been dropped.

"He did something stupid," Mrs Moss said.

"He did the initial at the end of a hard days work, when he was tired.

"A character should not be summed up on one mistake. We all make mistakes, but they don't affect the rest of your life.

"They say he is arrogant, he is a compassionate man.

"He saved my life and the lives of hundreds of others."

Mrs Moss said Bramhall was the only surgeon prepared to operate on her. Her cancerous colon and entire left liver were removed in one operation and she has been in remission for nine years.

Mrs Moss, who spoke on his behalf during the case, has helped start a justgiving campaign, Save Our Surgeon: Bring Back Simon Bramhall Appeal.

The appeal is aiming to match-fund the £10,000 fine, and donate this to his chosen charity - The British Liver Trust.

Mrs Moss explained as much as they would love to help pay his fine she said "he would never accept the money", so are instead doing the appeal to show support.

"270 of us wrote testimonies for Simon’s case - he is internationally respected," Mrs Moss said.

"This has caused stress to Simon and his family."

For more on the appeal, go to justgiving.com/fundraising/fiona-murphy19.