An American doctor convicted of manslaughter after a string of botched operations in Australia has been sentenced to seven years in prison.
Jayant Patel was labeled as "Dr. Death" by Australian media during the long-running medical negligence case.
India-born Patel (60), was convicted by a jury on three counts of manslaughter and one count of causing grievous bodily harm to patients he treated while working as chief of surgery at Bundaberg Base Hospital in northern Queensland between 2003 and 2005.
He had pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter of Mervyn Morris (75), Gerardus Kemps (77) and James Phillips (46). Patel was also found guilty of permanently harming Ian Vowles (62) by removing his healthy bowel in October 2004.
Justice John Byrne in Queensland state's supreme court today sentenced Patel to seven years in prison.
It was not immediately clear if Patel would appeal.
AP