A perverted nurse who straddled an Alzheimer’s sufferer in her 90s and groped two other dementia patients for sexual thrills has been struck off.

And the disciplinary panel says it remains a mystery why Anthony Moorhouse behaved the way he did and there was a risk he could so the same in the future.

The 63-year-old was working at a nursing home in Huddersfield when he was seen by a colleague straddling a resident and was then seen by other staff inappropriately touching two other residents.

He was suspended from the home and then dismissed for gross misconduct.

Moorhouse was cleared of criminal charges by a jury at Leeds Crown Court in November 2015.

Leeds Combined Courts, Crown Court.

A Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) disciplinary panel heard detailed evidence about all three charges and found them all to be proved.

It ruled: “The panel concluded that his misconduct was grossly inappropriate. His actions were sexually motivated, against highly vulnerable residents which the panel concluded would be viewed as abhorrent to right-thinking members of the public.

“The panel considers that the nature and seriousness of Mr Moorhouse’s misconduct is fundamentally incompatible with his continued registration as a nurse.

In all of the circumstances of this case, the panel determined that a striking-off order is the appropriate and proportionate sanction. This is necessary to satisfy the public interest, which includes protection of the public and maintenance of confidence in the profession and the NMC.”

Moorhouse will not be allowed to apply to become a nurse again for at least five years.

The panel also said it remains a mystery as to why Moorhouse behaved in the way he did with the patients.

The panel told Moorhouse: “The panel noted that while you understand the importance of maintaining professional boundaries with patients and/or residents in your care, you have not addressed what caused you to act towards Residents A, B and C in such an inappropriate way.

“The panel determined that your sexually motivated actions placed patients at risk of emotional harm and have brought the profession into disrepute. “Furthermore, the panel determined that you breached fundamental tenets of the profession. As you have shown limited insight into your serious misconduct, and in particular you have offered no evidence that you recognise the fundamental, underlying cause which led you to behave as you did, it was of the view that there is a significant risk of repetition of your misconduct. Your serious misconduct was a significant departure from the standards expected, and required, of a registered nurse. Your sexually motivated actions abused the trust between you and Residents A, B and C who relied on you for care.”