Weapons stash nurse is struck off medical register

Transgender Joanne Morris, previously known as Paul, had brought the profession into disrepute, the Nursing and Midwifery Council ruled.

Morris from Bloxwich was jailed for seven years last year after almost 2,000 rounds of ammunition, 15 detonators and the remains of a 12-bore shotgun were discovered after a search of her home.

There were seven sticks of plastic explosives along with an improvised explosive device made from a thunder flash grenade, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.

Other items such as airguns, night vision goggles, a silencer, a smoke grenade, a harpoon and a pair of samurai swords were found at the house in Station Street in November 2013.

More than 100 officers took three days to search the home of the ex-Royal Engineer after spotting a number of packages containing firearms accessories being shipped to Morris from America between 2012 and 2013.

Morris, aged 48, who is transgender and was a man known as Paul, at the time of the raid worked as a nurse at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton and an ambulance controller in Brierley Hill.

She was arrested and taken into police custody and subsequently suspended from duty at West Midlands Ambulance Service Trust with immediate effect.

Morris, employed as a clinical adviser at the trust, accepted that her fitness to practise was impaired by reason of her convictions.

But she told the NMC panel that this was a unique situation that took place a long time ago when she was a different person.

Morris claimed that a lot of the items were originally obtained legally or through her previous employment when she had a valid firearms licence.

The NMC panel yesterday decided to remove her name from the register for bringing the profession into disrepute.

Panel chairman Ian Luder said: "The panel considered that these breaches demonstrated behaviour which fell far below the standards expected of a registered nurse and breached fundamental tenets of the nursing profession.

"The panel had regard to the exceptional circumstances that led you to accumulate a large volume of ammunition and explosive material and the potential risk to the public and property.

"It noted that, whilst the acquisition of the material may have happened a long time ago, nevertheless you continued to remain in possession of these items up to the time of their discovery by the police.

"You retained these items throughout the period you were studying nursing and after you became a registered nurse.

"Taking into account all the circumstances, the panel found that public confidence in the profession would be undermined if a finding of current impairment were not made.

"The panel determined that your actions have brought the profession into disrepute and that your fitness to practise is currently impaired by reason of your convictions."

Morris pleaded guilty to charges relating to possession of an explosive substance, unlawful possession of ammunition, having a shotgun and making an explosive substance at Wolverhampton Crown Court and was sentenced last September.

Judge John Warner said she had 'a long-standing obsession with weapons'.

Large parts of Bloxwich was cordoned off as residents, businesses and police station were evacuated at the time.

Chemical warfare protection suits and ration packs were also discovered at the address along with two samurai swords, a harpoon and a number of air pistols.

Police enacted a dawn raid on the property after border agency staff intercepted a parcel from the USA containing gun parts addressed to her.

The crown court was told a search - involving more than 100 officers and costing £50,000 - revealed the arms cache, much of it stored away in a workshop and utility room.

Morris held a valid firearms certificate from May 1991 until April 1993.

The nurse, who was present at the hearing via telephone from prison, will now have her name struck off the medical register.