A Bradford nurse who tried to hire a hitman to break his ex-wife's legs and beat her until she had brain damage has been struck off the medical register.

Yamritlall Futhee was found guilty of misconduct by the Professional Conduct Committee of the United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting.

The committee only deals with the most serious cases and its decision yesterday means the end to Futhee's 30-year career as a nurse.

It also means that Futhee will be forced to give up his job working as a registered mental nurse in two Bradford nursing homes.

Speaking after the decision, Royal College for Nursing solicitor Martin O'Neill, who represented Futhee, said his client did not want to comment but was considering an appeal.

At the public hearing in Leeds, the committee was told how on November 27, 1998, Futhee was found guilty at Bradford Crown Court of incitement to cause grievous bodily harm with intent to his wife Rookmaka Hurree and sentenced to five-and-a-half years imprisonment.

His sentence was reduced to three-and-a-half years after an appeal to the High Court but an appeal against conviction was rejected, the committee of two women and two men heard.

Detective Sergeant John O'Shea, of Shipley CID, told the committee that in December 1997 a paid police informant tipped him off that Futhee was looking to have "some harm done to his ex-wife".

The detective agreed to investigate and an undercover police officer posing as a hitman and known only as 'Billy' was contacted by Mr Futhee and a meeting arranged.

Det Sgt O'Shea said: "Mr Futhee told Billy that he wanted to have his former wife seriously assaulted. He told the officer that his ex-wife was financially ruining him through settlement payments.

He said: "He wanted her to be seriously injured. He wished for her legs to be broken, concussion and brain damage to occur."

He said a fee of £2,000 was agreed and at a second meeting on December 8 in a Little Chief restaurant off the M606 in Bradford, Futhee handed Billy a video of his former wife, a hand-drawn map of her address and £50 for expenses.

Unbeknown to Futhee both conversations were recorded.

The pair met up once more on December 17, Det Sgt O'Shay said, on the day the attack was to be carried out.

Later that day when 'Billy' told Futhee the "hit" had gone ahead he replied "good" which was also recorded.

But smartly dressed Futhee, who has served his jail sentence and was at the hearing, insisted he never intended for the attack to be carried out.

He said he told 'Billy' this during their final meeting but Det Sgt O'Shea said the undercover officer's recording equipment failed to work on that day and no conversation was recorded.

Simon Binns for the Bradford NHS Trust said Futhee began work as a nurse for the Bradford Health Authority in 1979 and was promoted through the ranks until September 27, 1998.

His contract was terminated after he went to jail.

Committee chairman Val Morrison said Futhee should be removed from the register with immediate effect.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.