Bullying biomedical scientist Nicholas Mitchell has been suspended for 18 months from his NHS post after a campaign of abuse including threatening to slash a colleague’s tyres.

But staff and former workers from the Haematology and Blood Transfusion Department at Dumfries Infirmary were shocked to learn Mitchell escaped the axe and that he is now working for the hospital’s charitable donations section.

Mitchell, a senior manager, upset his staff with threatening and intimidating behaviour for five years and referred to having a “hit list” of colleagues.

Four members of the department quit due to his conduct which included sending a text to one employee saying: “Four down four to go.”

He was also found guilty of making inappropriate comments to a woman co-worker about her clothing and footwear saying “sexy heels is a must”.

His conduct went on for five years from 2010 to 2015 before staff complained about his behaviour and creating “a climate of fear”.

Mitchell was the subject of a conduct and competence hearing in Glasgow.

He was suspended initially for a year although the ruling was later stretched to an interim period of 18 months to allow him to appeal.

Mitchell, in his 50s, faced a catalogue of offences, but declined to appear at the hearing staged by the Health and Care Professions Tribunal Service from January 29 to February 2 this year.

He had earlier denied the charges in writing and the hearing was held in his absence with seven witnesses called to give evidence while an eighth submitted a written statement.

His staff and former employees told how he often spoke of having a “hit list”.

And on one occasion he phoned a female worker at home who had earlier called in unfit to work and agreed annual leave after being distressed at her dog’s death.

Mitchell phoned to say: “We’ll be seeing you at work won’t we?”. When the woman turned up she was sent home as unfit to work.

The panel ruled these actions had “exposed the risk of someone performing scientific tests who was unfit to do so” and added: “This would give rise to a risk of making mistakes that would expose the public to her.”

An allegation of dishonesty was raised when Mitchell asked a colleague to sign off his competency log despite the fact she had not witnessed his competencies.

In the panel’s judgement Mitchell’s conduct was serious and included dishonesty and therefore, amounted to misconduct.

Mitchell also swore at colleagues, threw equipment about benches and tore information from a notice board.

And he was heard by an employee threatening to slash another colleague’s tyres.

He denied this, the panel found the charge proved after preferring the evidence of the worker.

Ironically, his work had been rated highly by colleagues and former workers.

One former colleague said: “He is a very clever man. But his behaviour was despicable. We’re all shocked he didn’t get sacked and that he has landed another job although it is in the old hospital away from everyone he worked with.”

The panel also said: “Even in the most recent correspondence, dated January 24, 2018, the Registrant (Mitchell) expressed ‘remorse for my colleagues and that I have caused them to be upset by my actions.

“‘I was not aware that I was causing such anxiety and upset.’”

The panel commented in its findings: “However, the Registrant (Mitchell) continued to deny some of the particulars where the panel has found that he caused distress to his colleagues.

“Taken as a whole, the Registrant’s submissions demonstrated that there has been very limited development of insight with no evidence of remediation.”

It also stated: “In the panel’s judgement, the Registrant, by his dishonesty and misbehaviour towards work colleagues, had brought the profession into disrepute.”

Mitchell was also said, by his inappropriate conduct to a quality manager, to have “threatened the efficiency of his manager ... exposing the public to a lack of protection.”.

However, the panel avoided striking him off and also said: “The following were mitigating factors in this case: (he) was of previous good character with no previous regulatory findings against him; there appeared to be a blurring of boundaries in his workplace whereby personal and professional relationships overlapped.

“The Registrant’s increased workload appeared to increase his stress levels and cause a deterioration in his workplace behaviour.

“The panel considered that the following were aggravating factors: (his) bullying behaviour had a detrimental impact on his colleagues which included leaving some of them feeling frightened and causing at least one female colleague to change the way she dressed for work.

“The Registrant’s dishonesty and behaviour towards others had the potential to negatively affect patient safety.”

A hospital spokesman said: “NHS Dumfries and Galloway do not routinely comment on incidents involving individual members of staff.

“As an employer, we have systems, policies and processes in place to ensure that the welfare of all staff is protected and maintained at all times.”

Mitchell declined to comment.