A groping nurse who was ordered by a judge to get treatment for his obsession with breasts has been banned from working to protect the public by his professional body.

Jason Regala, 28, had faced prison for tricking a 23-year-old hospital patient into letting him examine her chest.

After undoing her bra, the pervert cupped her breasts then he ran his fingers over her before saying she had "lovely baps".

The shocked woman, who was suffering a blood clot on the lung, told her consultant, who called police.

Regala admitted indecent assault at Teesside Crown Court and was sacked from North Tees General Hospital in Stockton.

Judge George Moorhouse said he had considered jailing Regala but decided not to after reading a probation report suggesting he needed treatment for his breast obsession.

Regala, who has a baby daughter with his Filipino wife, was ordered to get therapy as part of a two-year rehabilitation and put on the sex offenders' register for five years.

At the Nursing and Midwifery Council yesterday a committee decided to impose an interim order suspending Regala from working as a nurse.

Clare Strickland, for the NMC, said: "The order is necessary for the protection of the public. A criminal court has established his guilt.

"It is in the public interest now he's a convicted offender and is currently serving a sentence in respect of that offence."

Chairman professor Mary Hanratty said: 'The panel has decided it is necessary to continue the interim suspension order.

'Our reasons for this is the recent conviction of indecent assault of a patient for which he was given a community order for two years and placed on the sex offenders' register for five years.

'The grounds are the protection of the public and public interest.'

Regala, of Cleveland, did not attend the central London hearing and was not represented.

His case will be reviewed again in three months time.