Nurse jailed for 15 years for rape in Sussex

Michael Crossland, 33, started relationships with his two victims and had sex with them even though he knew it was illegal.

A judge said Crossland had abused the trust placed in him as their carer and had manipulated his way into their affections.

They agreed to have sex with him but he later forced them to perform degrading sex acts and raped both of them.

During a two-week trial at Hove Crown Court Crossland denied two charges of rape and 11 of sexual activity with a mental health patient.

Both his victims, who cannot be named, were forced to relive their ordeal before he was found guilty on Friday.

Crossland, of Park Croft, Polegate, met the first woman when she was admitted to the psychiatric unit at Eastbourne District Hospital in April 2007.

He persuaded her to see him after she was discharged and they had sex at his home while his wife was out until their relationship ended six months later.

His second victim was admitted to the unit in August 2007.

Crossland sent her sick mobile phone footage of himself, accompanied by sexually explicit texts.

He had sex with her at the hospital at least seven times, including in an office and in the car park while he was on a break.

After she was discharged he took her to his home while his wife was away and raped her.

After he was arrested Crossland denied ever having sex with the victims.

The jury was told that although both women had agreed to have sex with him it is illegal for a professional carer to have sex with a mental health patient.

Crossland was made the subject of a sexual offences prevention order banning him from working with vulnerable people and ordering him to register as a sex offender indefinitely.

Judge David Rennie said: "Your job was to protect and safeguard some of those people within our society who are vulnerable.

"People who care for vulnerable patients need to be aware that if they abuse that trust and sexually assault them they will go to prison for a very long time."