Nurse 'groped man at home'

From the Telegraph & Argus, first published Wednesday 29th Jun 2005.

A Bradford nurse sexually assaulted a young male patient after tricking his way into his home, a court heard.

The student was groped on his bed after being told to strip naked, it is alleged.

Peter Sutcliffe, 47, who worked at Bradford Royal Infirmary, denies sexually assaulting the 20-year-old man.

He is accused of conning his way into the student's home in West Bowling by claiming he was giving him a national health service massage.

Leeds Crown Court heard yesterday that Sutcliffe was working in the hospital's accident and emergency department when the man was admitted at 2am on June 14 last year.

Prosecutor Richard Newbury said the student was brought to the hospital by ambulance after he was beaten up.

The defendant saw him in a cubicle and before he was discharged Sutcliffe asked him for his phone number, Mr Newbury told the jury.

He said two days later the young man received a call from the defendant who told him a "cock and bull story" that the hospital had applied for a grant for injured patients to be massaged in their home to help them recuperate.

Sutcliffe allegedly said the hospital was carrying out case studies to help the grant application and asked if he could give the man a massage.

Mr Newbury said Sutcliffe arrived at the student's home at 1pm on June 17 last year.

He is said to have told the student to undress completely. The student refused and left his boxer shorts on.

Mr Newbury said that while Sutcliffe was massaging the man on his bed, he touch him indecently three times.

After Sutcliffe had left the man became suspicious and reported the matter to his GP.

Mr Newbury said the police were called and the defendant was arrested and interviewed.

Sutcliffe admitted making a phone call to the man but said it was just to see if he was recovering from his injuries.

He denied going to the house and having any sexual contact with the young man.

Mr Newbury said Sutcliffe's car was picked up on cameras in Bradford city centre at 2.20pm that day. He appeared to be travelling from West Bowling towards the area where he lived in Rawdon.

The student told the court Sutcliffe said the massage was to help him overcome the stress and pain of his injuries. He said he was told it was a free service to provide statistics to back up a grant application.

He told the jury he felt shy when Sutcliffe told him to go up to his bedroom because it was more private. He refused to take off all his clothes.

He said he was scared after he was indecently touched.

"I trusted him because he was the nurse from the National Health Service who treated me so how could he be doing anything wrong?" he told the court.

Miss Ruth Cranage, for Sutcliffe, who is now living in Markham Avenue, Leeds, told the student: "Mr Sutcliffe denies either attending at your home or giving you a massage."

The trial continues.

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