Professor Sir George Castledine guilty of misconduct
A professor knighted for services to nursing has been found guilty of misconduct towards an elderly patient.
Sir George Castledine, 66, addressed the then 83-year-old widow as "my little Tinkerbell", a tribunal heard.
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) panel ruled he had failed to maintain appropriate professional boundaries.
Sir George, who worked in Birmingham at the time, denied his conduct was sexually or financially-motivated, but the panel disagreed.
The registered nurse was based at Onneley House, a day centre for the over-60s, as part of his role as chief executive of the Institute of Ageing and Health West Midlands when he met the woman.
Gave patient flowers
A fitness to practise panel heard the victim, known as Patient A, had been referred to the facility for bereavement counselling after the death of her husband.
The panel, sitting in London, found Sir George guilty of a series of allegations dating back to 2009.
He admitted he gave the woman flowers, accompanied her on a trip to Wales and told her he had to "keep fit" at the gym in order to "make love".
Sir George further admitted he breached professional boundaries by visiting her home at night and accepting Christmas presents from her.
Disputed charges, which were proven by the NMC, included an allegation Sir George dishonestly sought to procure statements from Patient A he knew were not true.
The panel also found some of Sir George's conduct towards the pensioner had been financially motivated.
Sir George, who received a knighthood for services to healthcare in 2007, previously apologised to Patient A and her family after he admitted declaring his love for her.
Speaking at the hearing last September, he said: "I would like apologise for the fact that my actions have led us to be here today and also in particular to the patient and her family."
The NMC panel is currently considering whether his fitness to practise has been impaired by his conduct, and will make a decision at a later hearing.