An NHS dentist who performed a sex act while his patient lay unconscious in his chair has been warned he is facing jail.

Lee Gaukrodger's 32-year-old victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had gone to his surgery for a simple tooth extraction but when she came round from the anaesthetic found her hair was sticky and wet.

The South African-born dental surgeon said he had accidentally spilt some fluid on her during the procedure and was dabbing the liquid with a tissue.

But Newcastle Crown Court heard how the fluid was semen.

The incident happened at Scrafton, Bond and Ablett in Flatt Court, South Shields, South Tyneside on July 19 when a dental nurse had left the room.

Gaukrodger, 29, pleaded guilty yesterday to a charge of sexual assault in relation to the masturbation.

He denied a charge of sexual assault in relation to the deliberate touching of her breasts.

His barrister Paul Caulfield told the court yesterday: "This is a very, very unusual case, a registered dental surgeon who has behaved in a bizarre fashion.

"The prosecution put their case on the basis of intentional touching of the breasts, that is completely denied.

"What is accepted was a reckless touching after the act of masturbation and ejaculation to remove semen."

Gaukrodger was granted bail and a will be sentenced in the week commencing January 3.

But Judge David Hodson warned him: "You must appreciate for an offence of this nature in your position the likelihood is a term of custody."

As conditions of his bail Gaukrodger must not seek employment as a dentist and has surrendered his passport.

He has been banned from entering South Tyneside, must report regularly to a police station, must not contact prosecution witnesses, must not speak to anyone from the practice and must live at his home address in Kingsley Avenue, Gosforth.