ADAM SOOTHILL AND SHOCKING SEXUAL OFFENCES IN LANCASTER AND PRESTON
Adam Soothill, a trained nurse previously employed at the Royal Preston Hospital, has been formally removed from the nursing register following his conviction for multiple serious sexual offenses committed against female colleagues within the Lancashire healthcare facility.Soothill’s employment in the hospital’s emergency department began in 2011, and it was during his tenure that allegations first surfaced in March 2019.
Several staff members came forward with disturbing accusations, describing incidents of inappropriate sexual conduct that spanned over two years, from 2017 to 2019.
The allegations included touching, flicking, and grabbing the breasts of female coworkers, as well as other unwelcome physical advances, such as placing his hands between a woman’s legs and touching naked breasts.
Following the initial reports, Soothill was immediately suspended from his duties as investigations commenced.
Despite denying any misconduct at the outset, the case progressed through legal channels, culminating in his being formally charged on July 12, 2021, with multiple counts of sexual assault.
His employer, the hospital’s Trust, responded swiftly by dismissing him from his position.
Soothill appeared before Preston Magistrates’ Court on August 15, 2019.
His case was subsequently transferred to Crown Court, where he entered not guilty pleas.
The trial proceeded, and on October 27, 2021, a jury found him guilty of 24 counts of sexual assault.
As a result of these convictions, he was sentenced to serve 30 months in prison, ordered to register as a sex offender indefinitely, and fined with a surcharge of £170.
The legal proceedings didn’t mark the end of the disciplinary process for Soothill.
Last month, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) conducted a comprehensive hearing in response to his criminal conviction.
The outcome was definitive: the NMC ruled that Soothill’s name should be struck off the nurses’ register permanently.
A statement from the NMC highlighted the gravity of his criminal actions, noting that "Adam Soothill’s criminal offending has so seriously undermined public trust and confidence in the profession." It further emphasized that "the criminal offending and subsequent sentence is fundamentally incompatible with being a registered professional nurse," and that only removal from the register would ensure the protection of patients, uphold the integrity of the profession, and maintain professional standards.
The report detailed some of the harsh remarks made by the judge during sentencing, which described the profound impact of Soothill’s actions.
The judge stated, "You undoubtedly preyed on these women so often and in such a manner that you made their lives uncomfortable, miserable within the workplace, in several instances it got to a stage where some did not wish to come to work." The judge also recounted how one victim, who had only interacted with Soothill once, was subjected to a sexual assault during that encounter, and another woman was so distressed she went into tears in a sluice room.
The court emphasized that Soothill exploited his position within the workplace to commit these acts, relying on the victims’ perceived inability or unwillingness to report the incidents.
The touching involved was both unwanted and sexual in nature, constituting harassment and bullying—behaviors that are unacceptable in any professional setting.
Despite his attempt to appear jovial and professional on the surface, his misconduct betrayed his true intentions.
The allegations from seven women, all of which Soothill vehemently denied, were supported by credible evidence and testimonies, leaving little room for doubt.
The prosecutors pointed out that Soothill only denied the more serious allegations and that his defense altered for some victims as new evidence emerged during the trial.
An interim suspension order was still in effect at the time of the NMC hearing, allowing Soothill the opportunity to appeal the decision.
If he chooses not to challenge the suspension, he will be officially struck off the nurses’ register immediately, permanently barring him from practicing as a nurse within Lancashire and beyond.
