A pervert doctor who molested female patients, including children, and took indecent photographs during intimate examinations has been jailed for six years.

South African-born Dr Barend Delport was said to have hidden behind a "cloak of professionalism" so he could subject his victims, one less than two years old, to inappropriate and unnecessary medical inspection.

More than 5,500 indecent photographs of children, include ones of his young patients, were found among a total of 500,000 pornographic and voyeurism images found on computer equipment at his former home in Eynsford.

They portrayed abuse at levels one to five, with five being the most serious, although the vast majority were level one.

The 55-year-old GP, who practised at The Oaks Surgery in Swanley, admitted sexually abusing three children and three adults, all female.

A fourth adult patient came forward as a result of publicity following his appearance at Maidstone Crown Court in August when he pleaded guilty to a total of 26 offences.

These included five charges of sexual assault, one of indecent assault, one of sexual activity with a girl under 16, 12 of taking an indecent photograph of a child, five of making an indecent photograph of a child and two of possessing an indecent photograph of a child.

They occurred between 2003 and 2012. One of the sexual assault victims was aged between 18 months and two years, while the oldest was in her 60s.

He referred to another of his young victims as his "little girlfriend" and would give her money and sweets.

At today's sentencing hearing, Delport asked for two offences of indecent assault committed in 2002 and in relation to the fourth female adult to be taken into consideration.Delport denied three offences of misconduct in public office and they were not proceeded with.

Prosecutor Anthony Haycroft explained that because taking intimate photographs of adults is not covered by a specific law, the prosecution decided it was not in the public interest to pursue the misconduct charges.

Delport sat in the dock with his head bowed throughout much of the hearing. The court was packed with members of the public, including one victim and another victim's mother.

Outlining the case, Mr Haycroft described it as involving the grossest breach of trust by Delport towards his patients.

He explained that although there was sexual motivation, it was an unusual aspect of the case that sexual gratification was gained through the taking of the photographs rather than the touching itself.

However, he told the court that had Delport not been a doctor he would not have been able to commit the offences.

"His motivation was clearly sexual and cloaked with spurious and unfounded medical justification."

The allegations came to light when one child victim saw Delport last year suffering from 'belly-ache'.

"His motivation was clearly sexual and cloaked with spurious and unfounded medical justification" - prosecutor Anthony Haycroft

The GP took intimate photographs of the girl without her mother's permission. She later reported the incident and Delport was arrested.

The victim's mother had asked Delport to delete the photographs but they were later found on his computer.

The court was told that the mother was able to identify them as they also showed her hands and jewellery.

Other reasons Delport gave for carrying out the examinations and taking photographs included training purposes, to show the healing process, for his own research as a specialist and for lecturing purposes.

He also claimed he was compiling evidence regarding poor care by midwives at Darent Valley Hospital. The court heard this was another lie.

One of his adult victims later told police Delport had touched what he described as "the magic button" while taking her intimate photographs of her.

Speaking after the sentencing, DCI David Chewter described Delport's crimes as "an appalling breach of trust".

He said he was "a rogue doctor in my view - what this doctor did to these vulnerable people is appalling."

In an unusual move, Judge Philip Statman decided to jail Delport for a longer term than recommended by the Sentencing Guidelines Council to the judiciary in England and Wales.

He told the court it would be "wholly wrong" to pass a sentence which did not reflect the "highly unusual state of circumstances" of the case.

The jail terms he imposed ranged from 12 months to six years, all to run concurrently. The sentence would have been nine years if Delport had not pleaded guilty and been entitled to a third credit.

Judge Statman told Delport it was "difficult to imagine" a graver breach of trust.

"Even in today's society where it is easy to be critical of the way that professionals behave, the medical profession is, in my judgment, the one which still remains viewed in the highest regard," he said.

"We have a very fine health service; the envy of the world and it is based on trust and respect.

"The role of the general practitioner is fundamental to ensuring the health and well-being of our community.

"We trust our GPs with our health and, even more significantly, we trust them with the health of our children."

He continued: "What you did for utterly spurious reasons was to use your position as a trusted GP to touch and photograph your victims."

Delport will be on the sex offenders' register indefinitely.

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