A GP who downloaded child pornography from the internet which was found by a colleague at his East Yorkshire practice has escaped being struck off the medical register.

Paul Hewish, 52, whose then home in York was searched by police after the images were discovered in his desk drawer at the Bartholemew Avenue Health Centre, in Goole, was yesterday found guilty of serious professional misconduct by the General Medical Council in Manchester.

Hewish, who now lives in Great Yarmouth, had his registration suspended for 12 months. He is expected to be allowed to resume his career following his suspension, after members of the GMC panel said they did not think he was a danger to children.

He was arrested last year after two indecent pictures of youngsters were found at his practice, and police discovered 30 images after seizing his home computer, software and discs following their search of his home in York.

Hewish later admitted the collection of pictures of girls aged between 12 and 14 had been his "shameful secret", and claimed he had been "addicted" to the pictures which he downloaded from an American porn website and stored on floppy discs.

In July last year Hewish admitted two charges of possessing indecent photographs of children at Hull magistrates court, and was ordered to complete a three-year community rehabilitation order.

He was also ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register and pay £55 costs. It emerged he had forged references to get another job, but had been found out.

Yesterday, panel chairman Professor Jack Crane said it was appalled by the offences and took a very serious view of the references forgery.

"By your actions you have undermined the confidence which the public place in the medical profession," he said. He said Hewish would face a further hearing before his suspension lapsed to determine his future in medicine.

Earlier, Hewish said his life was now in ruins and he had been forced to leave his family home for fear of vigilante attacks.

He told the panel he would do anything to work in medicine again, saying: "It's been my life."

Updated: 09:56 Saturday, July 05, 2003