Dr Odenefe John Isiavwe, who came to England from Nigeria with his wife partly for IVF treatment, gained his full UK medical registration in September 2001 and started work as a gynaecologist at the Hartlepool and North Tees NHS Trust.

The first incident happened after he gave a patient his personal contact numbers after performing a full pelvic proceedure on her while working as a specialist registrar in obstretics and gynaecology at the trust. He was rapped by bosses and warned that such conduct was a disciplinary matter.

He left the trust in 2002 and went to work at a hospital in Norfolk where other incidents happened, including one in which he fondled the breasts of a patient in her late 30s.

On another occasion he approached a nurse from behind, grabbed her by the waist and ran his hands up and down her body.

He later blamed stress and 'cultural differences' for his conduct, which spanned three-and-a-half years between 2001 and 2004.
Isiavwe was suspended by the General Medical Council for a year last March and yesterday reappeared before the council.

He told how stress and he and his wife's efforts to conceive had a a major factor in his actions.

He told the hearing: "I have never ceased to regret how I found myself in this situation and I have done everything in my power to see that the same things do not happen again."

The panel found that Isiavwe's fitness to practice was still impaired, but ruled he could work again under strict conditions.

Isiavwe must not conduct an intimate examination of any patient without another doctor or nurse being present, unless it is an emergency, the GMC ruled.

He must also be supervised by another GP at his future practice, and accept an outside mentor approved by the GMC.

He must not do any locum or out-of-hours work, keep the GMC informed of his movements and inform any prospective employer about the case against him.

Chair of the panel Alan Montgomery said: "A 12 month conditions of practice order will be sufficient to show you have learned from your mistakes and from being before the GMC," he said.

His case will be reviewed again in a year's time.

• Were you a patient of Dr Isiavwe? Contact the newsdesk on (01429) 239380 or email mail.news@northeast-press.co.uk.