A HOSPITAL nurse who molested female patients as they came round from serious surgery has been jailed for 12 years.

Stephen Board, 66, sexually assaulted two women in the recovery room as they recovered from an anaesthetic after undergoing serious hospital operations.

He groped a third elderly patient as she was undergoing cataract surgery on her eye.

Yesterday he was branded “a pervert” after jury of eight women and four men found him guilty of seven counts of sexual assault and one of assault by penetration at Hove Crown Court.

Sentencing him to 12 years, Judge Christina Laing told Board: “You gave in to the most perverted desires to sexually molest women no doubt enjoying the thrill and risk of possibly being caught.

“These women were in the most vulnerable position imaginable, two having come from major surgery and one having had cataract surgery. If she had reacted in any way she would have been blinded.”

Board, a respected nurse, targeted the vulnerable female patients while working as a nurse in Worthing Hospital and St Richard’s Hospital in Chichester over a 10 year period.

Hove Crown Court was told the first assault happened at Worthing Hospital in October 2006. A 20-year-old woman, who was suffering from a pain in her left side, was due to have surgery when Board said: “Don’t worry I’ll look after you.”

But as she recovered from the anaesthetic the nurse put his hand under the bedsheets and groped her breast.

Board moved his hand down under her hospital gown and continued the sexual assault.

The second patient, a 34-year-old woman, was sexually assaulted in February 2008 after she was admitted to the same hospital after suffering an infection following surgery to remove an ovary.

She underwent surgery again but as she came round from the anaesthetic she became aware of someone rubbing her right breast.

Mr Forgan told the court: “She grabbed her gown and closed it and said she did not like it.”

She also later reported the incident to hospital bosses and police once again responded and interviewed Board.

The third victim, a 78-year-old woman, was sexually assaulted as she was undergoing surgery at St Richard’s Hospital in Chichester in December 2015. Board, of Linden Road, Bognor, was put on sexual offenders register for life.