**Registered Nurse Struck Off After Filming Shoppers in Asda Toilet**
A registered nurse, Pheddie Delos Reyes, has been removed from the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) register after being found guilty of filming members of the public through a hole in a toilet cubicle at a Swindon branch of Asda. His actions have prompted widespread concern, not only regarding the breach of public privacy but also in relation to public trust in healthcare professionals.
The incident came to light on 18 July 2023, when Wiltshire Police were summoned to the store in response to a customer reporting that they had been covertly recorded while using the facilities. On arrival, authorities quickly arrested Delos Reyes, subsequently alerting the Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, his employer at the time.
CCTV footage reviewed during the investigation showed that Delos Reyes had entered Asda at around 6pm and made his way directly to the men’s toilets, where he spent almost three hours. During this period, approximately fifty males, both adults and children, used the toilets. Notably, the urinals were out of order, meaning only the single available cubicle—adjacent to the one occupied by Delos Reyes—could be used by visitors.
During a police search, electronic devices belonging to Delos Reyes were seized and carefully examined. Officers discovered multiple videos filmed through a makeshift hole in the cubicle wall, depicting several men urinating. Disturbingly, investigators also found a video of a child in the same circumstances, escalating the severity of the case.
Delos Reyes was charged with two counts of voyeurism and one count of creating an indecent image of a child. He admitted to all charges across two separate hearings at Swindon Magistrates’ Court. In June 2024, Delos Reyes was handed a suspended custodial sentence, reflecting the gravity of his offences.
The matter was subsequently referred to the NMC, the regulatory body overseeing nurses and midwives in the UK. At a recent tribunal, the panel determined that Delos Reyes’ convictions, whilst unrelated to his direct clinical practice, raised deep concerns about his judgement and the potential risk to patient safety in the future.
In their judgement, the NMC tribunal panel emphasised that the wider public would expect accountability in such cases, stating, “The public would be shocked if no action were taken, given the severity of these convictions.” The panel also noted that while Delos Reyes showed some remorse, his understanding of the gravity and impact of his actions was “limited”.
The panel considered Delos Reyes’ conduct to represent a “significant departure” from the standards and ethics expected within the nursing profession. The concerns centred not only around the criminal offences but also the profound breach of trust between nurses and the communities they serve.
As a result, the tribunal concluded that Delos Reyes’ actions were fundamentally incompatible with remaining on the professional register. He has received an interim suspension order, preventing him from practising as a nurse for 18 months while a possible appeal is considered. The panel’s decision sends a clear message about the standards to which registered healthcare professionals are held, particularly regarding safeguarding and the trust of the public.
This case has underscored the essential trust placed in nurses and health professionals and the importance of rigorous oversight by regulatory bodies. Members of the public expect and deserve to be protected from such breaches of privacy, both within healthcare settings and the wider community.