A ‘PREDATORY’ Barnsley Hospital nurse has been struck off the register after he sexually abused and harassed an array of female colleagues, a report has revealed.

Robert Carter, 59, resigned as a nurse at the Gawber Road site in November 2022.

Carter was the subject of an investigation by the Nursing and Midwifery Council relating to sexual abuse and harassment of his female colleagues.

A panel has proven more than 20 charges against the former nurse while he worked for Barnsley Hospital in 2019.

The charged included unfastening a colleague’s trousers, making sexual contact and making suggestive comments.

In addition to those charges, Carter was arrested in July 2019 on suspicion of rape.

He was suspended by the trust and resigned before an internal investigation could conclude.

However, he was found not guilty at a criminal trial.

The report, which was released following a month-long hearing, states: “The panel considered the seriousness of the charge and were of the view that Mr Carter demonstrated an alarming escalation in his sexually-motivated behaviour.

“It (the panel) determined that it is at the highest level of seriousness.

“The panel found Mr Carter’s conduct to be deplorable, disrespectful, humiliating and degrading for Colleague A.

“Based on the evidence before it, the panel were of the view that his advances were unwanted and concluded that his actions amounted to serious misconduct.”

Carter also winked at and hugged Colleague A, made sexual gestures towards her and sent her an unsolicited explicit picture of himself.

He was also found to have kissed several colleagues on the neck and pushed a colleague onto a bed, opened their legs and pretended to give them oral sex.

The report added that if he was ever questioned about his behaviour, he would begin to act like a ‘petulant child’.

“In oral evidence, Colleague E described how Mr Carter tried to kiss their neck and Colleague E moved away and said ‘what you doing?’,” the report added.

“Colleague E described how they were alone in the office at the time.

“The attempted kiss was never spoken about and interpreted as ‘a clumsy advance’ where Mr Carter was ‘trying his luck’.

“Colleague E went on to explain in evidence that if Mr Carter were challenged, he became ‘narky’ and acted like ‘a petulant child’.

Carter was struck off the register and banned from ever working as a nurse again.

The NMC’s case presenter, Ben Edwards, said that Carter’s conduct involved an ‘imbalance of power, cruelty and predatory behaviour’.

The report added: “He submitted that Mr Carter was dishonest in his actions, honesty is of central importance to a nurse, and that allegations of dishonesty are always of the utmost seriousness.

“He also submitted that it is for the panel to consider the kind of dishonest conduct that has taken place, and whether Mr Carter should be allowed to remain on the register.

“Mr Edwards submitted that Mr Carter deliberately breached the professional duty of candour by attempting to conceal his misconduct during the local investigation, especially as it could cause harm to patients under his care.

“He submitted that by Mr Carter attempting to deny sending an image of his penis, he also deliberately breached his professional duty of candour.

“There is clear evidence of deep seated attitudinal issues, and that his behaviour was of the most serious kind and degrading.

“Mr Carter has failed to demonstrate any remorse or insight.

“The panel therefore imposed an interim suspension order for a period of 18 months to cover the 28-day appeal period and any period which an appeal may be heard.

“If no appeal is made, then the interim suspension order will be replaced by the substantive striking-off order 28 days after Mr Carter is sent the decision of this hearing in writing.”

A spokesperson for Barnsley Hospital said the trust has signed the NHS Sexual Safety Charter since Carter’s behaviour in 2019.

They added: “We have systems and processes in place to support staff in raising concerns.

“The trust has a robust process for triaging and managing safeguarding concerns relating to staff members, which is supported by policies that provide managers with guidance on how to manage unwarranted behaviour of this nature.”