A FURIOUS patient who insists he could have died after being given a general anaesthetic by an unqualified, struck-off HIV dentist is taking legal action.

Donald Richardson, 52, who has a needle phobia, faced another nightmare ordeal yesterday after he was forced to attend his GP for an HIV blood test.

The former electrical contractor and full-time carer for his mum, who lives in Glasgow's West End, now faces an agonising wait to find out if he has been given the all clear.

Donald told the Evening Times of his horror at waking up during major dental surgery after being knocked out by the rogue dentist.

Harry Robertson, also from the city's West End, who worked at Kelburne Dental Surgery in Paisley, Renfrewshire, was erased from the dental register last month for lying to patients about having HIV.

Donald says he requested an anaesthetic for a 2007 root canal treatment and fillings because of his fear of needles and paid £100 in advance for an anaesthetist to attend for the procedure to be carried out. But the anaesthetist failed to turn up and he claims Robertson took the situation into his own hands.

Donald said: "This dentist has to be held accountable."

His lawyer Patrick McGuire, at Thompsons Solicitors in Glasgow, said: "It's my view that Donald has strong legal claims for being forced to undergo an HIV test and also for having been given a dangerous drug which knocked him out in a completely inappropriate way. This dentist's conduct has been dishonest and his attitude towards patients' safety has been cavalier in the extreme.

"This is an extremely serious matter as the delivery of this type of drug must only be given by highly trained people."

Mr Robertson has declined to comment on Donald's allegations.

janice.burns@eveningtimes.co.uk