A NURSE sexually assaulted female patients as they recovered from breast enlargement operations at a private hospital, a court heard yesterday.

It is claimed that Gavin Nicholson groped the alleged victims at the Spires Hospital, in Washington, Wearside, as they were coming round from anaesthetic.

The 57-year-old former RAF policeman denies five sexual assault charges and is being tried by a jury at Newcastle Crown Court.

He says the womens’ experiences were hallucinations brought on by the effects of anaesthetic.

Nicholas Campbell QC, prosecuting, said Mr Nicholson faced charges in relation to five women who had undergone procedures at the hospital in 2007 and 2008.

Three of the alleged victims had gone in for breast enhancement surgery, one was having a procedure on her shoulder and the other was having an operation on her ear.

In an email sent to the director of the hospital by one of the women, before she contacted police, she said: “I still lie awake at night thinking about it.

“I know I cannot prove anything and it would be this man’s word against mine, but please do not let this happen again.

“I just feel so ashamed I have been violated like this.

“This should not have happened and I ask you to make sure it does not happen again.

“This man cannot be allowed to make anyone else feel like I feel.”

The court heard that three of the women said they were sexually assaulted when in the recovery room immediately after having surgery.

One woman says she was groped by Mr Nicholson, who she thought was “creepy” as he helped her put on a sports bra the day after her surgery.

One incident is said to have taken place in front of a patient’s husband, while Mr Nicholson was carrying out a bladder scan after her surgery.

Prosecutors accept that some anaesthetic can cause dreams and hallucinations, but Mr Campbell told the court they were usually pleasurable and quickly forgotten as the effects of the anaesthetic wear off.

Mr Campbell said: “This is not what these women are describing.

“The prosecution case is that although the anaesthetics that were used on these female patients could, in theory, produce dreams and hallucinations, this is not the case here.

“Each of these women were sexually assaulted and the evidence points to Gavin Nicholson as being the perpetrator.”

Mr Nicholson, of West Avenue, Harraton, Washington, was tried by a jury in relation to the case last year.

Jurors failed to reach verdicts in relation to the charges, but cleared him of one sexual assault in relation to one of the alleged victims. He denies all charges.

The trial continues.