After being caught with over 1,000 child pornographic images, a psychiatric nurse is taken off the register and spared jail

  • Gregory Smithson anonymously uploaded “revolting” images to the Internet
  • He was a East Yorkshire nurse and his offending happened over a “prolonged period”.
  • After admitting to making indecent photographs, he was sentenced to a suspended prison term
  • After hearing the last week, Smithson was finally removed from the nursing register










After being spared prison, a psychiatric nursing assistant was removed from the nursing register for having more than 1000 indecent images taken of children.

Gregory Smithson was a Hull-based registered mental health nurse. He collected images of children that were ‘horrific and revolting, as well as disgusting, over a long period. 

On July 22, 2019, he was the first to be arrested. A Humberside Police investigation revealed that he used an IP address to upload indecent images via the anonymous chat site KIK.

Smithson later explained to police that his crimes had started ‘over three’ years earlier.

According to him, it was more about collecting than what was in the material. However, he claimed that he knew exactly why he did not do the right thing. 

Smithson subsequently pleaded guilty to making an indecent photograph or pseudo-photograph of a children at Hull and Holderness Magistrates’ Court on November 6, 2020.

Hull Crown Court received the case on December 4, 2020 for sentencing. He was sentenced to a 10-month term in prison, with an 18-month suspended period.

Hull Crown Court (pictured), East Yorkshire, where Gregory Smithson was handed a suspended prison sentence

Gregory Smithson received a suspended sentence at Hull Crown Court, East Yorkshire (pictured).

The order for sexual harm prevention was placed upon him, he was put on the register of sex offenders for 10 years, and he was ordered to complete 30 rehab activity days.

According to the court, he had 320 images in his possession, including 94 of category A photos, which was considered the most grave. Also, police found 223 Category B images, including 66 that were unpublished, as well as 477 category D images.

However, this case is back in the public eye following Wednesday’s Nursing and Midwifery Council hearing.

Smithson, who was unable to work as a nurse because of his criminal case, was struck off last week.

A panel, led by chair Peter Cadman, acknowledged mitigating factors that Smithson had fully complied with the orders of Hull Crown Court and has shown ‘genuine remorse for the harm cause by his offending’. 

The statement added that his actions were not in line with the expectations of a registered nursing professional.

Panel concluded that Mr Smithson’s actions… were fundamentally inconsistent with his continued inclusion on the Register. 

‘The panel was of the view that the findings in this particular case demonstrate that Mr Smithson’s actions were serious and to allow him to continue practising would undermine public confidence in the profession and in the NMC as a regulatory body. 

‘Having regard of the matters identified, in particular the effect of Mr Smithson’s actions in bringing the profession into disrepute by adversely affecting the public’s view of how a registered nurse should conduct themselves, the panel has concluded that nothing short of a striking off order would be sufficient in this case. 

“The panel decided that an order like this was required to highlight the importance of maintaining the public’s confidence in the profession as well as to communicate to the public and profession the standards of behavior expected of registered nurses.

Smithson was absent at the hearing but can appeal within 28 days. He has stated previously that he does not want to continue to be on NMC’s register.

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