A senior consultant at a leading private hospital in Harrow will face trial in September accused of the manslaughter of a patient.

David Sellu, a consultant surgeon at the Clementine Churchill Hospital in Sudbury Hill, faces the charge following the death of James Hughes, 66, from blood poisoning, after a routine knee operation in February 2010.

Mr Hughes had flown in especially for the procedure from his home in County Armagh, Northern Ireland, but died a week after the operation from sepsis, an illness which occurs when the body has a severe response to bacteria.

Mr Sellu, 66, from Hillingdon, is also charged with perjury for making an allegedly false statement at the inquest into Mr Hughes' death which took place in October 2010.

He is accused of falsely stating that he viewed a CT scan of Mr Hughes at 2pm on the day he died.

Mr Sellu appeared at Hendon Magistrates’ Court on August 13, 2012, and spoke only to confirm his name and address.

He was bailed to appear at the Old Bailey in November.

Yesterday the Old Bailey bailed him again to return to court for trial in September this year.