KEY POINTS:
A nurse is accused of having a sexual relationship with an insane killer in her care at New Zealand's maximum security psychiatric ward and ignoring an escape bid by him and another dangerous patient.
The nurse provided him with a cellphone, told him she loved him and sneaked him away from Auckland's Mason Clinic to have sex either at her home or in toilets at nearby Unitec or Pt Chevalier library and McDonald's during a four-month period in 2004.
The nurse yesterday appeared before the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal in Auckland charged with professional misconduct, which she denies.
She has interim name suppression and is referred to as Ms L.
The patient also has name suppression with no details of his killing allowed, except that he was found not guilty of murder on the grounds of insanity.
Theodora Baker, director of proceedings for the Health and Disability Commissioner, said the relationship began while the nurse was working in the clinic's Rata Unit, the most secure mental health unit in the country.
The patient's management plan noted his "divisive/manipulative behaviours, anti-social traits, unpredictability".
Ms Baker said their affair began early in 2004 with kissing and cuddling. It became sexual in June, when she was accompanying the patient on his allowed "day leave" but they instead went to her home and had sex.
On other occasions Ms L picked him up from "ground leave" at the clinic and took him home, and the patient would give evidence of sex in public toilets.
Ms L provided him with a cellphone which was contraband in the unit. A message from her found on it said: "I love u so much I fear I am going to lose you."
Ms Baker said that early in October 2004 the patient sent Ms L a text message "advising her that another patient made a hole in the ceiling in his room and was planning an escape".
The affair was uncovered after an anonymous call to the Rata Unit's manager led to the phone being found in the patient's room.
Dr Sandy Simpson, clinical director of forensic psychiatry services for the Waitemata District Health Board, told the tribunal that the potential planned escape was a matter of serious public concern and should have been immediately notified.
The patient will testify today.
