A GP who treated Baby P in the months leading to his death "deprived" himself of an opportunity to protect the child, the General Medical Council has ruled.

Dr Jerome Ikwueke breached his professional duty towards the little boy - now named as Peter Connelly - by failing to consider the possibility of child abuse when he visited his north London surgery with unusual bruising in October 2006, the GMC fitness to practise panel found.

He also failed to carry out an adequate examination of Peter eight days before his death and failed to share information with other professionals on a number of occasions, the panel found.

Peter died aged 17 months in Tottenham, north London, on August 3 2007 after suffering sustained abuse.

Peter had bruising on his chest and head when he saw Dr Ikwueke, 63, on October 13 2006 but his mother Tracey Connelly said he had fallen down the stairs the day before.

The GMC found the GP failed to consider the possibility of child abuse, failed to refer the baby for urgent paediatric assessment and failed to share information with other professionals.

Chairman Judith Worthington said: "If you had considered the possibility of child abuse you would have put yourself in a position to take appropriate steps for the care of the child.

"The interests of the child are paramount.

"You did not prioritise the welfare of the child who presented with unusual bruising and with a report from the mother that he had fallen down the stairs.

"You deprived yourself of the opportunity to protect this child and this was a serious breach of your professional duty towards Peter Connelly."