James Alan Townsend: Former Sheffield nurse struck off over rape

James Alan Townsend had been a mental health nurse since 2017, and was employed at the Sheffield Cygnet Hospital on East Bank Road at the time of the offence, which was in 2019.

A Nursing and Midwifery Council Fitness to Practise Committee hearing was told that he had been convicted of raping a woman in a hearing atLeeds Crown Court last February. The victim cannot be identified for legal reasons.

The hearing was told that Mr Townsend was jailed for eight years as a result of the rape, and had a restraining order imposed on him, as well as being also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

The hearing was told representatives of Mr Townsend had told the NMC investigation team: “I write to confirm that Mr Townsend admits the fact that he was convicted of rape and sentenced to serve eight years in prison. He also concedes that in these circumstances his fitness to practise is impaired and accepts the NMC’s sanction bid of a striking off order.”

Reporting the hearing, the NMC said in a statement: “The NMC identified the specific, relevant standards where Mr Townsend’s actions amounted to misconduct and submitted that there is a continuing risk to the public due to Mr Townsend’s lack of remorse, insight, reflection and remediation.

“There is a real risk that the behaviour would be repeated, and that harm would be caused. As a result, the NMC submits that the registrant’s fitness to practise is impaired on the grounds of public protection and is otherwise in the public interest.”

The panel found that Mr Townsend’s actions fell ‘seriously short’ of the conduct and standards expected of a nurse and amounted to misconduct.

The panel also said that although the concerns do not relate to Mr Townsend’s clinical practice, its members had decided that they represented a risk of future harm to patients.

They said: “In this particular case, the victim of the rape is said to have been caused psychological harm.

“Members of the public might have concerns that they could receive treatment from a nurse who has been convicted of a sexual offence and is subject to the Sex Offenders’ Register.

“This could lead to members of the public avoiding using health services and taking risks with their own health and wellbeing to avoid treatment or care from a nurse. The panel finds that Mr Townsend’s conviction, resulting from a serious sexual offence, has breached the fundamental tenets of the nursing profession and therefore brought its reputation into disrepute. It was satisfied that confidence in the professions would be undermined if its regulator did not find charges relating to such a conviction serious.”

The panel imposed an interim 18 month suspension order, pending a 28 day appeal period. If no appeal is made, it will be replaced by the striking off order 28 days after Mr Townsend is sent the decision of the hearing.”