Nurse Luke Smith jailed for sexually abusing patient
A mental health nurse has been jailed for eight months for sexually abusing a patient during a home visit.
Luke Smith, 30, pleaded guilty to sexual activity with a person with a mental disorder at Leeds Crown Court.
Smith lost his job after what he described as "a moment of madness" when the offence happened at the male victim's home in Leeds in January 2017.
The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said: "I felt dirty, I felt disgusted, embarrassed."
Smith, of Manderston Chase, Armley in Leeds, was on his second visit to the patient who had mild mental health disorders made worse by the recent death of his sister.
At the end of their meeting Smith had left the patient's home but returned a minute later and said he had forgotten his pen.
He then carried out a sexual act on the man, the court was told.
Sentencing Smith, Judge Peter Collier QC said: "All your adult life you have served the community by caring for vulnerable people - you have abused that trust."
Smith did not force himself upon the patient but he did abuse his trust, the court heard.
Speaking after the hearing, the victim told BBC Look North: "I felt dirty, I felt disgusted, embarrassed so I didn't want to really disclose what had happened because I felt that it is not something we talk about.
"I believed I wouldn't be believed because of my mental health condition and his standing as a nurse, but if I by speaking out can help one other person in this world my job's accomplished already."