July 2012

Cruel rapist who preyed on girl jailed for 12 years

A FORMER psychiatric nurse sacked for sexually assaulting a patient has now been jailed for 12 years after he admitted raping a young girl.

In 2011, Malcolm Hunt had been given a suspended sentence after he admitted kissing and indecently touching a patient.

At the time, he said he was ashamed of his actions and the biggest punishment he could have received was that he had lost his job after being convicted.

Now, a court has heard he repeatedly raped a girl for several years.

At the time of his conviction for attacking the patient he was still committing offences against the girl, Derby Crown Court was told.

Yesterday, Judge John Gosling said: “What is shocking is that the previous sentence handed down to you did nothing stop you from assaulting your victim.”

Hunt, 61, of Hospital Lane, Mickleover, will serve a minimum of six years before he is eligible for release. He will also be made the subject of a sexual offences order for life.

Judge Gosling said: “The order I impose will mean that there will be no conceivable way that you will have unsupervised access to anyone under the age of 16.”

Hunt held his head in his hands and wept as his crimes were read out by Julie Warburton for the prosecution.

He was given three 12-year sentences for three charges of rape and seven two-year sentences for seven counts of sexual assault on a child under the age of 13.

Judge Gosling told Hunt he must also serve the six-month sentence that had been suspended for the earlier sexual assault. All sentences will be served concurrently.

Balraj Bhatia, for Hunt, said he initially denied the offences when interviewed by police, but quickly changed his mind and “came clean” on all 10 counts.

He said that for the first 50 years of Hunt’s life, “the references spoke of a man who was thoroughly decent”.

Mr Bhatia said: “He was a hard worker, very giving. People could come to him to talk. He has to live with the shame he has caused.”

In the incident for which he lost his job, Hunt had admitted sexually abusing a woman patient in her own home.

Hunt claimed he had been trying to comfort the depressed woman when he touched her breast and kissed her neck. The patient said she felt “violated, dirty and let down”.

Hunt, who was at that time employed by Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, was arrested the following day after his patient reported the incident.

He admitted sexual activity with a person with a mental disorder. After being sentenced for that offence, Hunt said he felt ashamed and “desperately sorry”.

He said the worst punishment he had received was losing the job he loved. He said: “I realise the impact it’s had on her.”

But at the time, he was still committing the offences against the girl, which continued up to the end of 2011.

Hunt was indefinitely struck off the nursing register earlier this year.

Kathryn Blackshaw, acting chief executive of the trust, said: “The charges which Malcolm Hunt has been sentenced for are unrelated to his position whilst working in the trust.

“The trust shares the shock many will be feeling at his actions and the hurt he has caused. We would like to offer our condolences to those affected.

“Anyone who has been affected by the issues raised by this case and feels they need help or support can contact Kidscape on             0207 730 3300       or Childline on             0800 11 11      .”