Nursing and Midwifery Council determination — substantive hearing

NMC suspends Andrew Cassels for six months following sexual-assault conviction

The NMC imposed a six-month suspension with review over the conviction for assaulting a colleague. It found impairment on public-interest grounds, while assessing the risk of repetition as low.

MedicWatch editorial · Published 26 August 2026 · Updated 22 September 2026

Suspension (suspended from practice) — 6 months

Data last checked: 22 September 2026Report a correction

What does “suspended from practice” mean?

The regulator imposed a fixed-term suspension in this decision. Its start date, appeal provisions and any later review affect whether it is currently in force. Check the official register for the practitioner's current status.

Concerning Andrew Cassels, nurse (Nursing and Midwifery Council 10I1355S).

Decision date: 26 August 2026 · Hearing started 24 August 2026 and ended 26 August 2026

In plain English

The NMC found that Andrew Cassels’ sexual-assault conviction required a finding of impairment to uphold public confidence and professional standards. It accepted evidence of reflection and training, assessed the risk of repetition as low and found no basis for public-protection impairment. The panel imposed a six-month suspension with review, rejecting striking off as disproportionate.

Charges

Cassels was convicted at Hamilton Sheriff Court on 18 January 2024 of sexually assaulting a colleague on 12 November 2019 by handling and seizing her clothed buttocks. The conviction charge was proved by admission and the conviction record.

Findings

The panel found impairment on public-interest grounds after the sexual-assault conviction. It found no evidence of unwarranted patient risk or deep-seated attitudinal concerns, accepted evidence of insight, reflection and training, and assessed the risk of repetition as low. It rejected the NMC’s request for striking off as disproportionate and imposed six months’ suspension with review. A separate 18-month interim suspension applies in the public interest during the appeal period. If no appeal is made, the substantive suspension replaces it 28 days after the written decision is sent.

Mitigating factors

• This was an isolated incident. The panel had no evidence before it to suggest that your behaviour that led to your conviction happened on more than one occasion. • There is evidence before the panel that you practised safely and effectively as a registered nurse for a significant period of time, without restriction between 2019 and 2023 without any concerns raised. • You have made efforts to prevent similar things happening again through undertaking relevant training courses, which include relevant courses to your conviction and also to keeping your skills up to date for clinical practice. • You have completed several reflective statements. • There has been no recurrence of your conduct which led to your conviction since the incident occurred in 2019.

Aggravating factors

• Abuse of a position of trust. The panel had no evidence before it to suggest that there was a power imbalance between you and the victim. However, the panel considered that a professional would expect to be able to trust another professional in the workplace and also expect to be able to work in an environment free from this type of behaviour. The panel also considered that a professional would expect their colleagues to behave in an appropriate manner. • Deliberate breaches of the Code namely ‘Promoting professionalism and trust’. • Failure to work collaboratively with colleagues (for example sexual harassment or discrimination). The panel was of the view that your underlying conduct was discriminatory as it related to an assault on a female colleague, which had the potential effect of violating her dignity.

Source

All facts on this page are drawn from the publicly published Nursing and Midwifery Council determination linked below. MedicWatch does not editorialise the regulator’s findings.

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