Black Country hospital nurse struck off after hiding attack on ex
A nurse who throttled his former girlfriend before trying to hide his conviction from his bosses at a Black Country hospital has been kicked out of the profession.
James Kearsey grabbed his ex-partner by the throat squeezing her tightly at her home address in Blackpool in 2013, a hearing was told.
Kearsey, who worked at Russells Hall Hospital, Dudley left the woman with a sore throat and bruising to her neck.
The hearing heard he failed to inform both hospital chiefs and the Nursing and Midwifery Council of the conviction for seven months.
The Nursing and Midwifery Council was told his former partner reported the incident to police who arrested Kearsey on July 12 2013 and he denied committing the offence in interview.
Kearsey suggested he had been acting in self-defence and flatly refuted the assault – but later told his employers he had actually assaulted a male.
After initially pleading not guilty at Dudley Magistrates Court on October 17, 2013, he was eventually convicted of an offence of assault by beating the following January.
He was sentenced to a 12-month community order including 150 hours of unpaid work, a supervision activity requirement and a structured intervention to address domestic abuse workbook.
A restraining order for a period of five years was also made against Kearsey and he was ordered to pay compensation of £500 and costs.
The matter was referred to the NMC last July and the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust was notified of the concerns.
Kearsey then failed to inform the Matron for Paediatrics and Neonates about his conviction and the NMC informed the Trust of the matter months later in August – before he did.
A disciplinary hearing was convened last December which resulted in Kearsey's dismissal.
NMC panel chairman Wendy Yeadon said: "Mr Kearsey failed to notify his employer and the NMC of his conviction over a period of seven months.
"Moreover, when questioned about his conviction during the investigatory meeting, Mr Kearsey made a deliberate decision to give Ms 1 a fabricated account of events which he knew to be misleading.
"The panel considered that registered nurses occupy a position of privilege and trust in society and are expected at all times to be professional. Patients and their families must be able to trust registered nurses with their lives and the lives of their loved ones.
"To justify that trust, registered nurses must act with integrity and ensure that that their conduct at all times justifies both their patients' and the public's trust in the profession."
Kearsey, who was not present or represented at the hearing, was struck off the nursing register with an 18-month interim ban falling away if no appeal is lodged.
Bosses at Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust which runs Russells Hall Hospital said they did not wish to comment on the hearing.
