Helpline follows GP's 'toilet pictures'

Health officials have set up the special telephone helpline

A telephone helpline has been set up after a family doctor admitted making obscene pictures of young children he filmed while using a toilet at his home.

Dr Peter Finklestone rigged up secret video cameras in his former home in Gosforth, Newcastle.

The 39-year-old filmed a number of women and young girls who used the toilet during visits to his home over a four-year period.

He pleaded guilty at Newcastle Magistrates' Court to nine counts of making indecent images of children.

None of the victims were registered to Gosforth Memorial Medical Practice where the GP worked.

Now officials at Newcastle Primary Care Trust has set up a helpline for members of the public who may have concerns.

A trust spokeswoman said: "The GP has resigned and the PCT has taken all necessary steps to ensure appropriate authorities have been notified, including the General Medical Council (GMC).

'Further assistance'

"The charges related to matters outside work, but if members of the public have any concerns, we have set up an answering phone information line over the weekend. That number is 0191 219 6149.

"From Monday, patients are advised to contact their GP surgery, where further assistance will be available."

A spokeswoman for the GMC said: "We are automatically informed about any conviction regarding a doctor and we will then use any information arising from a case, when legal proceedings have finished, in deciding what action to take.

"We would normally act in situations where charges of this nature have been brought, but at the moment we are not carrying out any proceedings in this case and he is not scheduled to appear before any of our public hearings."

When police were given information about the doctor's activities, they raided his home on 17 April this year.

They recovered a number of video images involving several different visitors.

Offenders register

He has not worked as a GP since the allegations came to light and he left the practice more than two months ago.

The case was adjourned for three weeks after a short hearing, for the preparation of pre-sentence reports.

The doctor has been put on the sex offenders register.

The offences happened between November 1998 and October 2002.