The Scottish Executive has confirmed that six civil servants have been sacked for downloading internet pornography onto office computers.

The staff were temporary employees who were dismissed or whose contracts were not renewed after the misuse was discovered.

Civil servants were recently given unlimited access to the internet but they were told that they were expected to observe an IT code of conduct

Special software programmes were introduced to block access to pornographic websites.

A spokesman for the Scottish Executive would not confirm if there were further cases pending.

Any other incidents of this kind would be dealt with through the usual disciplinary proceedings.

A recent survey suggested that 3.6 million people in the UK were regularly visiting pornographic websites.

The biggest offenders were students who accounted for a fifth of all visits to pornographic sites.

Earlier this year, psychologists warned at a conference on sexual addiction in California, that a compulsive need for cybersex could destroy marriages and partnerships.

They said cybersex addiction should be treated seriously and required therapy, the same as eating or personality disorders.