An accident and emergency doctor dismissed a woman's concern that her brother's face was a terrible grey colour by saying it was due to malnourishment. But less than 36 hours later Robert Sutherland, 33, was dead, a fatal accident inquiry was told yesterday.

Giving evidence at Inverness Sheriff Court, Mrs Mary Morrison claimed the doctor wanted to send Mr Sutherland home despite him complaining that his head was bursting with pain after a fall in the street. His nose was bleeding, there appeared to be blood coming from his ears, and he was vomiting blood, she said.

It was only when Mrs Morrison and her sister, Mrs Sheena Wright, insisted he be admitted, that a short stay bed was arranged. But the following day Mr Sutherland, of Upper Kessock Street, Inverness, lapsed into a coma from which he never recovered.

Mrs Morrison, 32, of St Andrew's Drive, Inverness, was asked by fiscal depute Ron Phillips what impression she was given by Dr Mohammed Thaha, who examined her brother at Raigmore Hospital, Inverness, on December 5, 1996.

Mrs Morrison, a former auxiliary nurse, said: ''The doctor said to take him home despite the bleeding from his nose and ears. He kept asking Robert if he had fallen on his face. I asked what about his colour and that's when he said Robert was malnourished. I know he wasn't malnourished because I fed him myself.

''The doctor wanted to discharge him. To me he just wanted rid of him.''

She said she did not see the doctor examine the cut to the back of her brother's head, and at no time did anyone mention having his head X-rayed.

Earlier, the inquiry was told that Mr Sutherland suffered health problems due to his drinking binges, and earlier that day was taken to hospital by ambulance after suffering a fit in the street.

At the hospital he was given one tablet of the sedative diazepam at the accident and emergency, before being discharged.

But 100 yards from the hospital gates, Mr Sutherland fell on the ice-covered pavement and struck his head. He continued walking the two miles home and it was then he was seen by his sisters who took him to hospital.

The following day the family discovered Mr Sutherland was not being released. They returned to the hospital and found him alone and apparently unconscious in a ward room. They were very upset that he was lying in a wet bed with no medical staff to be seen.

''We had to go and look for a nurse,'' Mrs Morrison said. ''When we found one she said she did not know what was wrong with Robert because the doctor hadn't seen him yet.

''We were 20 minutes in the ward before a junior doctor arrived and examined him. She was shouting to Robert to wake up. She then went away and came back with two other doctors and he was given an injection.

''They said he was fitting in his sleep and had been given diazepam and would wake up in a few hours and be fine.''

But within hours, the family were recalled to the hospital and told he was gravely ill and had only hours to live.

Mr Sutherland's GP, Dr Freda Charters, told the inquiry Mr Sutherland was no stranger to Raigmore's A and E department, having been admitted on six occasions in the previous two years as a result of alcohol abuse.

The inquiry continues.