Carer jailed over sexual activity

The arrest of John Beattie (not pictured) was captured by BBC cameras

A mental health worker has been jailed for having a sexual relationship with a patient he had been caring for.

John Beattie, 57, from Cyffylliog, near Ruthin, was employed at the Ablett unit at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, Bodelwyddan, where the female victim was a patient.

He had earlier admitted four charges and was jailed for two years at Mold Crown Court. He was also put on the sex offenders' register for 10 years.

The offences did not occur at the hospital.

This is the first case of its kind in Wales where a carer has been sentenced for sexual involvement with one of his patients.

As part of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, a new offence was created relating to care workers using their position to take advantage of patients.

You're an experienced care worker and knew that your prime duty is to protect those suffering from mental disorders. Judge John Rogers QC

Beattie's arrest was filmed by a documentary camera crew filming for BBC Wales fly-on-the-wall series Real Police, which followed police officers in Rhyl.

The court heard that it was the second time that Beattie, a naval Falklands veteran, had acted inappropriately with a woman patient at the hospital.

His relations with the woman in this case had developed after he asked her for advice on computers, said Gareth Roberts, prosecuting.

At first they had kept in touch via e-mails and on the phone but they met for consensual sex three times last autumn when she was a patient at the hospital where Beattie had worked since 1997, the court heard.

Mr Roberts said that Beattie immediately admitted the offences to police after his arrest last October.

Patients and members of the public can be assured that the trust will not tolerate inappropriate behaviour by any member of staff towards patients Conwy and Denbighshire NHS Trust

Kim Whittlestone, defending, said Beattie had had his head "turned by the affections of the woman".

"He was flattered by the attentions of her and succumbed to those attentions and he is deeply remorseful of it."

Four members of Beattie's local community also gave evidence to the court on his behalf describing how he had been a willing volunteer in social events, as well as a swimming and horse riding coach, looking after children.

But Judge John Rogers QC said he had to take into account the seriousness of the offences for which Parliament had increased the tariff to 10 years.

"You're an experienced care worker and knew that your prime duty is to protect those suffering from mental disorders.

"Instead of protecting this young lady, on three separate occasions you had sexual activity with her which you know was against the law.

Dismissed from job

But the judge said mitigating factors were the fact that he had pleaded guilty upon his arrest, that he was a man of previous good character, and the position he held within his local community.

In a statement issued after the court case, Conwy and Denbighshire NHS Trust confirmed that Beattie had been dismissed from his job at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd.

The statement went on: "This case has been dealt with through the correct legal procedure and it would therefore be inappropriate for the trust to comment, but we would like to point out that the incidents did not take place on trust premises.

"Patients and members of the public can be assured that the trust will not tolerate inappropriate behaviour by any member of staff towards patients, and has clear policies in place to deal with such occurrences."