A MENTAL health nurse caught lying on top of a female patient claimed he was just using a ‘restraint’ technique, a hearing was told.

William Whittaker, 55, developed an ‘inappropriate relationship’ with the young woman and told colleagues he was the ‘only one who could look after her’, it was alleged.

Whittaker, from Great Harwood, would also spend hours locked in a bedroom with the 25-year-old and was seen touching her face, brushing her hair and stroking her leg, the Nursing and Midwifery Council heard.

The alleged incidents occured while Whittaker, of Harwood Lane, was working as a staff nurse at Brierley Court Psychiatric Hospital, in Moston, Manchester between October 2005 and January 2006.

Senior nurse Ray Leadbitter told the panel the patient had been in the hospital for a number of years when Whittaker began paying her more and more attention. “Patient A was a very clever but damaged lady,” he said. “She suffered from acute personality disorder and had a history of self harm.

“At first Bill had very little interaction with her. Then it changed around 2004.

“He would become emotional during handover meetings and even if there had been a serious incident with another patient it would be brushed aside and he would go on to talk about Patient A.

Mr Leadbitter added that things got worse when Whittaker started turning up at Patient A’s review meetings uninvited.

“Bill just turned up out of the blue. He started whispering to Patient A and stroking her hair, face and leg. The whole thing had a very uncomfortable feel to it.”

After that incident Whittaker was invited to a meeting to discuss his behaviour on 24 October, 2005.

He was told to keep his contact with Patient A to a minimum but nothing changed, the NMC heard.

Mr Leadbitter told the panel how he caught Whittaker lying on top of Patient A.

“I walked in a room and was shocked and disturbed by what I saw.

“There was this powerful middle-aged man lying on top of this petite young lady.

“I asked him what he was doing. He said it was a restraint technique.

“My response was I had worked in many secure hospitals in my time and this was the most odd, inappropriate restraint technique I had ever seen. I certainly wasn’t happy with it.”

Whittaker was formally dismissed on 27 February, 2006. He denies conducting an inappropriate relationship with Patient A between October 2005 and January 2006.

The nurse, who qualified in 1976, could be struck off the nursing register if found guilty.

The hearing continues.