A DEPRAVED nurse who exposed himself in front of colleagues and groped another nurse on a hospital ward has been struck off.
James Alexander Kelly claimed his behaviour was just “flirtatious” antics, but a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) panel barred him from the profession.
Mr Kelly exposed himself to two different nurses on several occasions, but claimed he was just putting his thumb through his fly.
He grabbed nurse in a bear hug, groped her from behind, made explicit suggestions and simulated sex as she tended to a drug trolley.
The NMC panel said Mr Kelly lacked “common decency,” and said the other nurses found his behaviour unwelcome.
He worked as a nursing auxiliary and later a staff nurse on the Anderson Ward at Biggart Hospital, Ayrshire, a stroke rehabilitation unit.
Shower
In one incident in early 2009 he approached another nurse who was doing her paperwork and unzipped his fly and exposed himself, saying “this is what you need.”
He faced 14 different charges of misconduct at the hearing in Edinburgh, where he was not present and not represented.
His behaviour was targeted towards two nurses, Sheena Searle and Alexandra McGill.
On two separate occasions in 2007, he groped Ms Searle and sprayed her with a shower head before patting her chest with a towel.
On 8 January 2009, he exposed himself in front of Ms Searle as another staff member was chatting to a male friend on a webcam during a break.
He told the nursing auxiliary, Carrie Morland “ask him what he thinks of this” as he exposed himself in front of the computer screen.
Grabbed
On another occasion, while discussing a patient with Ms Searle in the duty room, he stood up without warning and exposed himself in front of her.
On another date in 2009 he pushed Searle into an empty room, unzipped his fly and exposed himself to her.
He also told Ms Searle he wanted to “f*** her”, and grabbed her in the crotch on two separate occasions.
He claimed this was a game called “donkey bites”, where he would grab people and say “is this where the donkey bites?”
Ms Searle said she felt “humiliated” by his behaviour, which included kissing her inappropriately.
Drugs trolley
She was forced to slap him on the ears when he put her in a bear hug and kissed her neck, she said.
Mr Kelly also grabbed her from behind and “simulated having sex with her” as she picked up water jugs from a drugs trolley.
He exposed himself to Ms McGill while she was doing paperwork, standing close to her and saying “this is what you need.”
Both nurses gave evidence against Mr Kelly, who denied the allegations were true.
The NMC panel said: “The panel does not consider that Mr Kelly treated Ms Searle in particular and also Ms McGill, with respect and dignity.
“On any view of matters he did not maintain clear sexual boundaries.
Unworthy
“The panel considers that Mr Kelly’s conduct was wholly out with the bounds of common decency and was conduct unworthy of a nurse.”
The panel added: “Both Ms McGill and Ms Searle were visibly distressed while giving their evidence. The panel determined that Mr Kelly has demonstrated little insight.
“The panel noted that Mr Kelly stated in his personal statement that, ‘these alleged incidents are ‘completely untrue’ and he maintains that he is the victim.”
It continued: “The panel did note that Mr Kelly has attempted to justify some of his actions, for example stating that he had touched Ms Searle’s breasts and put his thumb through the fly of his trousers, all as part of a general atmosphere of banter and jokes.”
Mr Kelly said the ward had a “flirtatious” and “touchy feely” atmosphere.
The NMC panel said they had no option but to strike him off, and said his behaviour was sexually motivated.
Mr Kelly’s bid to have the hearing heard in private failed, as the panel said sparing him embarrassment did not outweigh the interests of open justice.
