A dishonest doctor peppered his CV with lies about his experience and qualifications to win lucrative posts at a Lancashire NHS Trust, the GMC heard today.

Dr Kelvin Chatoor claimed he had passed a Bachelor of Science with first class honours and that he was the top student in a class of 2,700 pupils.

The GMC heard that Chatoor, whose ambition was to become a psychiatrist, had, in fact, dropped out of the course before completing it.

Andrew Hurst, for the GMC, told the hearing that Chatoor's lies made a mockery of a system that depends on honesty.

"This case concerns the systematic and repeated actions by Dr Chatoor as to his qualifications and work experience in his effort to secure the clinical posts that he desired without having the clinical experience he claimed he did."

Mr Hurst said the lies spread from May 2000 to April 2005 and included NHS trusts in Lancashire, Herefordshire, Kent, Plymouth and Berkshire.

"Dr Chatoor repeatedly re-worded his experience either by falsely claiming a post he hadn't done or by re-writing history by turning the posts he had held into different specialties in order to advance his CV.

"Dr Chatoor told we say escalating lies on his CV as to his psychiatry experience and qualifications.

"Along the way Dr Chatoor claimed a degree he had not achieved or even sat for.

"He also falsely claimed membership of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists."

Chatoor, of Ashford, Kent, has made extensive admissions to a list of charges before the GMC.

Mr Hurst continued: "He hasn't admitted that his actions were dishonest nor has he admitted that his actions risked compromising patient safety.

"We say that by telling lies as to the true nature of ones experience for example by making the post psychiatry when it's radiography and by faking the seniority of that post Dr Chatoor began acting dishonestly and risked patients' wellbeing."

Chatoor, who qualified in the West Indies in 1995, is attending the central London hearing.

The hearing continues.