A TOP psychiatrist allegedly fondled a patient's breasts and made lewd comments after she expressed concerns about breast feeding.

Dr Andrew Clayton, former joint medical director of Derbyshire Mental Health Services NHS Trust, also tapped the pregnant patient on her bottom, a General Medical Council hearing was told.

Dr Clayton is alleged to have behaved in a sexually motivated way towards two female patients and to trainee members of staff.

He has already been placed on the sex offenders' register after last year pleading guilty at Derby Crown Court to possessing indecent images of children.

On the second day of the two-week GMC hearing to decide whether Dr Clayton should be struck off the register yesterday, a former patient, known as Ms B, said she became uncomfortable around Dr Clayton during her pregnancy.

Ms B said problems started when she went to see him when she was suffering from an eating disorder at a clinic in Swadlincote in 1998.

She said: "I think I was pregnant at the time. I expressed that I wanted to breast feed my baby but I was concerned because I had inverted nipples.

"He said 'I can take a look at them', and thinking nothing of it I got undressed."

Ms B said he then fondled her breasts and made inappropriate comments.

She said: "He was very close to me, I could feel his breath on me."

Ms B said she was sitting on a couch and that Dr Clayton continued to behave inappropriately.

She said: "I got dressed, he weighed me and as I got off the couch he tapped my bum."

She said no one else was in the room and that Dr Clayton had not asked her if she wanted anyone else in the room as a chaperone, which he was required to do.

The hearing in Man-chester also heard from a former pre-registration house officer, known as Ms C, who was being trained by Dr Clayton.

Mr C said she was made to feel uncomfortable by Dr Clayton's "constant inappropriate comments and inappropriate behaviour".

She said that Dr Clayton ordered her not to wear baggy clothing and made a number of sexual innuendos. She added he took her out during working hours.

She said "One day he said we were going on a prison visit to Leicester but he ended up taking me antique shopping instead. He would also ask me to go swimming with him and ask me to bring a swimming costume."

She said he used to watch her as she drove, and said he would ask her for sex if it were not for his ego.

On another occasion, Ms C said Dr Clayton asked her what her most embarrassing fantasy was.

She said: "He just laughed and said 'now you know how patients feel'."

The hearing was also told Dr Clayton received an extra £27,890 after successfully putting himself forward for a clinical excellence award in 2006-07.

He lost that payout when he was sacked in April 2008 for gross misconduct.

The hearing continues.