Sheffield Nurse charged with sexual offences
Some of the offences are alleged to have taken place at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital
Last updated 8th Dec 2021
A Sheffield nurse has been charged with 20 sexual offences, including some against children.
South Yorkshire Police says 13 of the charges - 10 counts of voyeurism and three of sexual assault - relate to offences allegedly committed at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, against five members of staff and four patients.
Three of these voyeurism charges and one of the sexual assaults relate to the discovery of recordings of the intimate areas of three unidentified female patients.
The remaining seven charges - one count of taking indecent photographs of a child, three counts of voyeurism and three counts of making indecent photographs of children - are unrelated to 51-year-old Paul Grayson's workplace.
The NHS Trust says the nurse has not worked in any of its hospitals since being arrested in December 2020.
Chief Superintendent Shelley Hemsley, District Commander for Sheffield, said: "I know this case is extremely unsettling. These charges follow an extensive investigation carried out by officers in our Protecting Vulnerable People (PVP) department.
"Despite significant and wide-ranging enquiries by the team, who have worked closely with the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, it is highly unlikely that the three unidentified women will ever be identified as all existing lines of enquiry have now been exhausted.
"Despite this, we have pursued charges on behalf of these women so that the judicial process can continue."
Professor Chris Morley, Chief Nurse, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: "We and our patients expect a high standard of professionalism from all our staff. We have taken the allegations against this nurse who worked in the Day Case Theatre Unit at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital extremely seriously.
"We have fully co-operated with the police to do all we can to support the investigation which has resulted in the charges now being brought. The nurse has not worked in any of our hospitals since the arrest in December 2020 and we immediately reported the concerns raised to the relevant professional body which is the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
"We can confirm that the required employment checks in place at the time of appointment were carried out appropriately. We are so very sorry that of the four patients involved we cannot identify three of them due to the nature of the images and understand this will be distressing for anyone who had surgery in the Day Case Theatre Unit between 2017 and 2020 which is the period the charges relate to.
"Throughout the investigation we have also provided support to the staff who have been affected by the allegations and investigation. Until the outcome of the court case is confirmed it would be inappropriate to comment further on the nurse or the allegations.
"Unfortunately we do not have any further information to be able to confirm the identity of the 3 patients but we understand that some patients treated in the Day Case Theatre Unit at the Hallamshire Hospital between 2017 and 2020 may wish to speak to us and can call on 0114 2715757. Their details will be taken and then they will receive a telephone call back at their convenience."
Grayson has been bailed to appear at Sheffield Magistrates' Court on 4 February 2022.