A male nurse who was found guilty of downloading hundreds of child porn images has been deregistered, censured and fined by the Health and Disability Tribunal.
Val Beattie Lockett, of Te Atatu Peninsula in Auckland, was convicted at Waitakere District Court in February 2007 of 17 charges of possessing objectionable material.
An Internal Affairs Department inspector, who searched Lockett's computer, found numerous searches for "pthc" or preteen hard core.
The inspector discovered and recovered 231 child porn video clips and still pictures that had been on the computer's hard drive but had since been deleted.
Lockett was sentenced to 200 hours community work, two years supervision and an order to undergo counselling.
In his decision released today tribunal chairman Bruce Corkill said Lockett's actions had resulted in a "re-abuse" of victims.
"The tribunal has no hesitation in concluding that such conduct constitutes a major departure from the applicable standards of legal and ethical behaviour reasonably to be expected of a registered nurse."
Mr Corkill said Lockett's behaviour was so serious, it warranted discipline.
The tribunal ordered Lockett's nursing registration be cancelled, he be censured, pay costs of $1700 and for a name suppression request to be denied.
Lockett had been working as a a psychiatric nurse until 2006.
In the eight months leading up to the tribunal hearing, he had been working part-time as a supervisor at drug rehabilitation centre Higher Ground.
- NZPA
Nurse found with child porn struck-off
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