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Senior West Midlands paramedic struck off

A senior West Midlands Ambulance Service paramedic who is alleged to have exposed himself in front of a female colleague has been struck off.

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Bisexual Paul Reeves is said to have unzipped his trousers in his office, turned to a woman colleague and invited her to 'look at this'.

The incident was one of a series of misconduct allegations Reeves faced at a Health and Care Professionals Council tribunal in London.

At the conclusion of the hearing on September 26, the panel 'found proved' all 10 allegations relating to Reeves' misconduct.

During the tribunal the married WMAS team leader admitted sending a number of sordid text messages and photographs to four female and one male colleague between 2009 and 2012.

He texted each of them that he was bisexual but begged them to keep 'his secret' and claimed no one else knew.

Reeves then bombarded his co-workers with messages giving in depth detail about his sexual exploits and sent photographs of men engaging in sex acts together.

Describing the incident in which Reeves allegedly exposed himself, Melinka Berridge, for the HCPC, said: "The registrant came into the office where his colleague was working.

"While she was at her desk working he said 'look at this' and when she looked over he had unzipped his trousers and exposed his genitals to her.

"She covered her face with her hands and asked what he was doing.

"He asked whether he had overstepped the line."

The tribunal heard that the woman dropped her complaint to West Midlands Police over the incident, saying she would not be able to endure the stress and anxiety caused by a continuing police investigation.

The panel ruled they could not impose a either a Conditions of Practice Order or a Suspension Order due to the 'very serious nature of the allegations'.

A report of the panel's findings stated: "The panel is aware that striking off is a sanction of last resort for serious, deliberate and reckless acts involving abuse of trust, such as sexual abuse.

"The registrant's actions, as found, were sexually motivated and involved a serious abuse of his position. There was a significant element of calculation and of repetition. The registrant has limited insight and has failed, in the panel's eyes, to demonstrate that he has an ability to fully resolve matters."

The sanction means Reeves will be prevented from practising as a paramedic for at least five years.

Reeves, who denied exposing his genitals to one of his colleagues, showing a sexual image to one of the alleged victims and that his behaviour was sexually motivated, told the panel he had sought professional help and that he had 'changed'.

He said he would be totally devastated' to lose his job and maintained he would never repeat his behaviour.

The order to strike him off comes into effect on October 24.

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