# Nurse who sexually assaulted woman in A&E after she was admitted when her drink was spiked is jailed seven years

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/nurse-who-sexually-assaulted-woman-in-ae-after-she-was-admitted-when-her-drink-was-spiked-is-jailed-seven-years/
- Published: 2026-11-08T11:03:07+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-08T11:18:18+00:00
- Original publisher: Daily Mail (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16275855/nurse-sexually-assaulted-woman-drink-spiked-jailed-seven-years.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
- Topics: Health, Medicine, World

## Key points

- Nurse Ernest Cruz was jailed for seven years.
- He entered the patient’s room 12 times in two hours.
- The victim is calling for stronger hospital safeguards.

## Summary

A nurse has been jailed for seven years after sexually assaulting a woman who was receiving treatment at Bournemouth Hospital after her drink was spiked. The case has raised concerns about safeguarding for vulnerable patients, including staff access to wards and the use of chaperones during intimate care.

Ernest Cruz, 38, was not assigned to the woman’s care but entered her room 12 times over two hours, recording observations under a colleague’s name, CCTV evidence showed. He denied assault by penetration and sexual assault but was convicted at Bournemouth Crown Court; the victim, who was later diagnosed with PTSD, has called for stronger hospital safeguards. Cruz came to the UK from the Philippines on an NHS work visa in 2021 and may face deportation after prison.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.