A police surgeon and family GP was struck off today for blackmailing a patient into sex in exchange for drugs.

Dr Bellipady Sudharam Rai, in his 50s, enjoyed sexual favours for six years with his "vulnerable" female patient who was addicted to diazepam, doctors' watchdog the General Medical Council (GMC) heard.

The woman told the hearing in Manchester she felt "dirty" at having to perform sex for the GP, adding: "I just used to go and do what I had to do and take the prescriptions."

After a "disgraceful abuse of his professional position" the GMC ruled Rai should be struck off the medical register indefinitely with immediate effect.

The GP, from Ravenshead, Nottingham, was also "irresponsible" in treating the woman, known only as Mrs C J, and other long-term addicts giving them powerful drugs on demand instead of trying to wean them off their habit, the GMC ruled.

Rai was working as a surgeon for Nottinghamshire police and as a GP at a practice in Rainworth, when Mrs CJ came in for an appointment.

The GMC fitness to practise panel, sitting in Manchester, heard the GP tried to kiss the woman and told her he would ensure she had an adequate supply of drugs if she would "go further" with him.

He also warned her he had the power to withhold drugs, the panel heard.

On another visit, he allegedly persuaded the woman to perform oral sex on him by refusing to give her drugs unless she "went further".

The hearing was told the sexual relationship continued for six years, with encounters taking place in the doctor's surgery, his car, in a nursing home and two other properties owned by Rai.

Rai, who is married, had denied the allegations.

But the panel decide the woman, not the doctor, was telling the truth following the three-week GMC hearing.

He prescribed the sedatives diazepam and chlormethiazole, and painkiller dihydrocodeine, despite knowing the patient had an addiction problem.

He also gave a cocktail of drugs over a long period of time to other patients who were known addicts.

Rai left the proceedings yesterday instructing his defence lawyer to withdraw.

The GMC ruled he had voluntarily absented himself and struck him off, adding he would pose a "significant risk" to the public if he was allowed to carry on working as a doctor.