A LYTHAM dentist who carried on working after being banned for conning thousands of pounds out of the NHS is still running a practice -- in Germany.

Alexander Gerard Gibson, 43, left one patient needing a string of operations after being infected with a 'third world' disease during treatment, carried out illegally last year.

Gibson admitted three offences of practising dentistry illegally between March 7 and July 12 last year at the surgery attached to his home at Corka Lane, Moss Side.

He was banned from dentistry for serious professional misconduct by the General Dental Council's Professional Conduct Committee last year for persistent dishonesty and neglecting one of his patients in 1997. He signed a declaration acknowledging that continuing to practice would be a criminal offence.

This included making 20 claims for thousands of pounds from the NHS for which he was not entitled, altering 18 patient's records to cover up what he had done and charging a woman £40 to remove a lesion from her face, telling her he was qualified to do so but failing to send the lesion to a pathology lab.

Blackpool Magistrates heard on Wednesday how 82-year-old Mrs Madge Richardson needed to attend an emergency dental clinic after treatment, for which she had paid £400. There, she was told that Gibson had been struck off the dental register.

"She needed corrective treatment which she could ill-afford," said prosecutor, Robert Hall.

Russell Edmondson, defending, asked magistrates to give Gibson credit for his guilty plea, and added: "These are offences in respect of practising after being removed from the dental register. This is not about the standard of care. There is no claim of negligence, more criticism of what he did. There was no malign intent."

The defence added: "He presently works in Germany, where he can practice and runs a successful practice there."

Gibson, who dives a Saab convertible, was said to earn 60,000 Euros (about £40,000) annually.

Presiding magistrate, Brian Stephenson, said the offences were serious and aggravated by the fact Gibson had lied abut his work. He was fined £9,000, with costs of £6,000 and ordered to pay Mrs Richardson £400 compensation for the dental work fees she had paid him.

The court also heard the story of another patient, Bob Renshaw, 55, who suffered a severe infection after treatment from Gibson. He has since required two operations under general anaesthetic and faces three or more further operations to rebuild his lower jaw.

After the case, Mr Renshaw revealed he had been diagnosed with osteo myelitis, which, he had been told, was a third world illness.

He said: "That man has ruined my life. I would not have gone to him if I had known he was struck off, then he botches everything. It is a disgrace."