Nurse who sent sexually explicit texts to '14-year-old girl' in Moray struck off

A nurse in Moray who was convicted of “communicating indecently with an older child” has been struck off the register.

George Arroll Inness was referred to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) on September 17 last year, by an anonymous source and also by NHS Grampian.

The watchdog said that it was provided with screenshots of an article in the press, about a sting operation by a group titled the “Paedophile Hunters” based in Scotland.

This group had created a decoy profile, which pretended to be a 14-year-old girl, which Inness had sent sexual messages and indecent images to.

Messages by Inness, between June 5 and 23, included asking the decoy if she wore a school uniform; telling her he was “jealous” because he was “not wrapped around her” when she came out of the shower; and asking if she was going to go “topless” while on holiday with her parents.

In other messages, he asked about her underwear, if she ever “thought about sex”, stated that he wanted to see her naked and that they could do “anything she wanted”.

Innes sent a number of images to the decoy including images of his genitals, himself in his underwear and a scar from his hernia operation.

Upon being confronted at his home by the “Paedophile Hunters”, Inness replied: “Yeah I shouldn’t have done it, I am sorry.”

He then said he needed a drink of water and left the front door open, before returning with a knife pointed at his chest.

Inness is said to have been moving it in a stabbing motion – the group intervened and removed the knife, fearing he would harm himself.

The police were called and he was arrested, the NMC said.

George Arroll Inness was found guilty under sections 33 & 34(1) of the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009 at Inverness Sheriff Court on October 25 last year.

In an August 2023 hearing, the NMC found that Inness’ fitness to practise was impaired as a result of his conduct and conviction.

It said: “Mr Innes’ actions were significant departures from the standards expected of a registered nurse and are fundamentally incompatible with him remaining on the register.

“The panel was of the view that the findings in this particular case demonstrate that Mr Innes’ actions were serious and to allow him to continue practising would undermine public confidence in the profession and in the NMC as a regulatory body.”

As a result, he has been struck off the register effective August 2023.