A CHIROPODIST looked at porn websites inbetween appointments, a hearing was told yesterday.

A CHIROPODIST looked at porn websites inbetween appointments, a hearing was told yesterday .

John Lovegrove, 44, spent a “great deal of time” surfing sites - but claimed he stumbled across them when looking for underwear for his partner.

The foot expert for the Suffolk Primary Care Trust is also a member of High Voltage - an Ipswich AC/DC tribute band, the Health Professions Council heard.

Lovegrove's supervisor Martin Edwards said: “Websites had been logged on to outside the normal run of the mill.

“Some were of a sexual nature and in breach of the PCT's 'Websense Monitoring Programme'.”

He said Lovegrove was responsible for logging on to all the sites.

“His initial response was that he hadn't accessed anything of that nature.”

He said that while he used the internet for personal reasons, he may have come across this through his use of personal email, such as Hotmail.

“He said it may also have happened while shopping for personal items for his partner [and] going through lingerie sites and glamour sites.”

Mr Edwards obtained a log of Lovegrove's computer use while he was working at various trust sites including the Woodbridge Clinic, in Pytches Road, Woodbridge.

“This demonstrated that at time Mr Lovegrove had been at work or available for work while accessing material,” said Mr Edwards.

The chiropodist was asked to explain himself for a second time, the HPC heard.

But he continued to deny accessing pornography, it was said.

“I spoke to him after looking at the reports,” said Mr Edwards.

“Although I gave him many opportunities and explained that the nature of the evidence was quite robust, he offered no explanation as to what had been accessed.

“He suggested that sites may have been accessed through Hotmail. But Hotmail hadn't been accessed on the days in question.”

Chris Whalley, for the HPC, said: “Mr Lovegrove spent a great deal of time accessing the sites while at work. These were sites of a sexual nature.”

The HPC heard how Suffolk PCT started a full disciplinary hearing against Lovegrove in 2008.

Although the chiropodist had already offered his resignation, he was formally dismissed.

Lovegrove, of Gleneagles Drive, Ipswich was not at yesterday's hearing.

The charge against him states that he accessed pornography on a Suffolk PCT computer between August and November 2007 and this was in contravention of trust's Internet Use Policy.

He is also charged with impaired fitness to practise.

If found guilty, he could be thrown out of the profession.

The hearing continues.