Confidential patient records may have been accessed after a shamed doctor watched pornography and images of beheading between appointments, watchdogs have ruled.

Dr Michael Reynolds Foden accessed internet pages to look at images of “mutilation” at his office.

It was when only IT technicians scoured his internet history that they discovered he had surfed the web between seeing patients.

He repeatedly lied to investigators and claimed he had given his log-in details to a lodger who was staying at his home so that they could access Facebook, eBay and their email accounts.

But after leaving the country, he admitted that it was him who had accessed the websites and apologised for denying his actions.

Now health watchdogs claim that confidential patient records could have been accessed after he handed out computer codes.

In their final judgement, a General Medical Council hearing said: “The panel has determined that, given the serious nature of its findings, Dr Foden’s accessing pornographic and inappropriate websites and doing so in between appointments with patients and his repeated dishonesty in relation to the trust’s investigation, it would be wholly insufficient to conclude this case by taking no action.

“This would not reflect the seriousness of the case, nor would it serve to restore and promote public confidence in the medical profession.”

It added: “Dr Foden told trust investigators that a third party, to whom he had given his trust ‘log in’ details was responsible for accessing those websites.

“The panel took the view that Dr Foden had put patients at unwarranted risk of harm, in that, by giving a third party his ‘log in’ he had allowed that third party the opportunity to access confidential patient records.”

Dr Foden, a practitioner in respiratory medicine at Wansbeck General Hospital in Ashington, Northumberland, had worked with Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust since December 1999.

But his decade-long career collapsed when IT staff discovered his computer had been used to access inappropriate images of “young” women.

When an investigation was launched he denied he had accessed the websites, instead claiming he had given his log-in details to a lodger at his home.

He said he gave his unnamed housemate permission to access Facebook, eBay and his email accounts because Dr Foden did not have internet at his home.

But he eventually came clean and admitted he had used his work computer to cruise online pornography sites.

The GMC panel said: “Dr Foden persistently lied to the trust investigators. His dishonesty was repeated, pre-meditated, covered up and designed to deceive those investigating his conduct.

“Neither fellow members of the medical profession nor the public can rely upon Dr Foden’s integrity. The panel does not consider he has shown sufficient insight into his actions to remedy his behaviour.

“Although apologising to the trust, he attempted to justify his actions by blaming them on a third party, as well as his ill health, whilst maintaining, at the same time, that his health did not affect his ability to practise medicine or supervise junior staff.”

Kevin Craddock, the trust’s information governance manager, first discovered that the doctor had been using his work computer to watch pornography after returning from Christmas holidays in 2009.

Following the discovery, health chiefs launched an investigation and Dr Foden was dismissed for gross misconduct in August 2010.

A spokeswoman for Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust said: “We have strict policies that prevent our staff accessing inappropriate material on Trust computers and have robust procedures in place to detect any wrongdoings should they occur and discipline staff where appropriate.

“This case was detected promptly and investigated fully. Dr Foden was dismissed for gross misconduct in August 2010.”