Indecent assault ends nurse’s job
A male nurse who indecently assaulted a pregnant patient will never work in the profession in New Zealand again.
Linto Thomas and his wife, a fellow nurse who is eight months pregnant, are also highly unlikely to realise their dream of becoming permanent New Zealand residents following his offending. They are from India.
Thomas was sentenced in the Palmerston North District Court yesterday to 10 months’ home detention for indecently assaulting the patient twice in 2016. He was found guilty of the charges by Judge Stephanie Edwards after a judge-alone trial.
The patient was admitted to Palmerston North Hospital in 2016 with pregnancy complications and Thomas was assigned to care for her.
The first assault happened while he helped her back to her room after she used the bathroom.
He took off an arm band she said was too tight, before rubbing her arm with both hands and asking a medical question, before touching her genitalia.
Thomas went back to see her later the same day after she pushed the help buzzer.
He gave her pain medication before stroking her arm, but then touched her chest.
Defence lawyer Paul Murray said Thomas maintained he was innocent, but respected the court’s verdict.
The convictions meant Thomas would no longer work as a nurse and his work visa had effectively been on hold while the case went through court, Murray said. Thomas wanted to get residency, but that was now a ‘‘forlorn prospect’’.
His wife was due to give birth to their son and had returned to India while Thomas waited to be sentenced, Murray said.
‘‘He is going to be away from his wife and child for some period of time, no matter the sentence.’’
Thomas had no previous convictions in New Zealand or India and people who wrote character references described him as trustworthy, hardworking and caring, Murray said.
The judge said the people who wrote those references referred to the offending as being out of character.
The investigation into the allegations had taken time, meaning his duties as a nurse were restricted until he resigned and worked in a supermarket, the judge said. The woman had suffered from anxiety and panic attacks when thinking about going to the hospital and would deal with pregancy-related pain at home instead.