Nurse subjected woman to '˜torture' during surgery, court hears

Board had denied the charges but was found guilty. Picture: Eddie Mitchell

She appeared at Hove Crown Court today to give evidence against 65-year-old Stephen Board, from Bognor

He is charged with committing sex offences against three of his patients while he worked at Worthing and St Richard’s hospitals. He denies the charges.

The jury was shown a recorded interview in which the witness said she was told not to move during the eye surgery and to communicate only by squeezing Board’s hand.

The witness - who cannot be named for legal reasons - said: “I took it as being done hundreds of times before.

“I was nervous because I did not know what was going to hurt or if it was going to work.”

But during the operation the nurse let go of her hand and the assault began, she told the jury.

She said: “I felt that he was sort of searching with his hand, groping at my chest.

“I started hyperventilating because I knew that there was something wrong

“It was torture because I could not communicate with the surgeon.

“I was so scared, I just felt trapped. I wanted to scream out but I couldn’t.”

She told the court she went home that day and later decided to report the incident.

She added: “It is really sad that a male nurse should be doing something stupid like that and giving nurses a bad name.”

Jonathan Ray, defending Board, asked her if she was mistaken in her belief that the touching was of a sexual nature. She replied she was not mistaken.

Board, who lives in Linden Road in Bognor, denies seven counts of sexual assault and one of assault by penetration. The trial continues.