Nurse in 'abhorrent' grooming case is struck off

A mental health nurse from the Isle of Man has been struck off after twelve charges of misconduct were proven against him.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council heard he slept with a widow less than a week after she tried to commit suicide and groomed another two vulnerable patients.

Forty-two-year-old Nicholas Crouchman was a psychiatric nurse at the Edith Cavell Hospital in Peterborough when the incidents happened in 2007 and 2008.

The nursing panel heard he started a relationship with a grieving widow less than a week after she tried to kill herself, was sacked for kissing another suicidal patient and sent unwanted text messages to a third woman who had a history of self-harming.

NMC panel chairman Michael Cann said the allegations were predatory and premeditated in nature, indicating character traits that couldn't easily be remedied.

Ruling Crouchman's fitness to practice was impaired, Mr Cann said his repeated denials of the charges demonstrated a grave lack of insight.

He added Crouchman's actions were a systematic grooming of three vulnerable patients, describing what he did as particularly abhorrent.

Crouchman has 28 days to appeal and is subject to an 18-month interim suspension order.