Croydon nurse Regel Cuico banned for sexual misconduct

Regel Cuico was accused of sexual assault following an incident on a night shift in August last year. 

His colleague told the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC): “Mr Cuico asked me if I would ever consider cheating on my partner and I said 'No.' 

“He told me that he had never kissed a white girl before and asked if I would kiss him. I said 'No.' 

“It was then that he wheeled his chair over to mine so that I was stuck between him and the nurses’ station desk. 

“He started caressing my left outer thigh up and down several times. He was asking me multiple times to 'just kiss him one time...come on you're so hot, just one kiss, your partner never needs to know.' Or words to that effect. 

“I repeatedly said 'No, no, no, please stop.' I did not want to make eye contact with him in case he thought it was an invitation, so I was staring down, looking at my notes. I said 'no' more loudly and he shushed me.” 

After the shift she said she discussed the incident with her family then returned to the hospital to report the incident. 

Mr Cuico denied the allegations and accused her of lying out of jealousy. 

But an NMC panel said Mr Cuico’s accounts were inconsistent and implausible. 

The panel were told Mr Cuico does not wish to return to nursing and plans on returning to the Philippines. 

The panel said: “Mr Cuico’s 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 Cuico’s 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. 

“Balancing all of these factors and after taking into account all the evidence before it during this case, the panel determined that the appropriate and proportionate sanction is that of a striking-off order.”