Filipino nurse jailed 7 years for sexually assaulting vulnerable patient in UK hospital

A Filipino nurse has been sentenced to seven years in prison after sexually assaulting a vulnerable female patient at a hospital in England.

Ernest Paul Cruz, 38, a former NHS nurse, was convicted of sexual assault and assault by penetration following a trial at Bournemouth Crown Court.

The attack happened at Royal Bournemouth Hospital during the early hours of July 30, 2023.

According to police, the woman, who was in her 30s, had been taken to the hospital after becoming unwell. She was in a vulnerable condition when Cruz was left alone with her.

Investigators said Cruz told the patient she needed to change and began helping her remove her clothing before inappropriately touching and sexually assaulting her.

The woman reported the incident to another nurse the following morning, prompting a police investigation. Cruz was arrested later that day.

Following his conviction, Cruz was sentenced on September 28, 2026, to seven years in prison.

The court also imposed sex-offender notification requirements, a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, and an indefinite restraining order.

Court records cited Cruz’s abuse of his position of trust and power as a nurse as an aggravating factor.

Records from the UK’s Nursing and Midwifery Council show that Cruz had been registered as an adult nurse since 2021 and was later suspended while proceedings against him were ongoing.