Children’s nurse sacked for tweeting that Rihanna looks like ‘a borderline lesbian’
A children’s nurse was sacked for posting offensive comments about gay people, Islam and disabled people on social media, a tribunal has heard.
The tribunal heard that Paul Stephens wrote on Twitter and his two blogs that he thought Rihanna looked like a “borderline lesbian”, reports the Evening Gazette.
His blogs stated that he was a nurse working on a paediatric unit, and he also referred to a patient in his care using foul language, in an entry posted whilst on duty, the tribunal heard.
The posts on Twitter, and Stephens’ two blogs – ‘Musings of a Madman’, and ‘Thirty Four not out’, went on for three months before he was caught.
He faced a disciplinary hearing after his ex-wife reported him to his management at Middlesbrough James Cook University Hospital.
Jane Wiles, a senior colleague of Stephens received a complaint letter on 15 October 2012 from his ex-wife Emma Barber.
“I felt that as Paul was a children’s nurse he was meant to be acting as a role model, and I was concerned what that children could access Paul’s comments that he was posting,” Ms Wiles said.
Despite claiming that he was “just trying to be funny”, Stephens was sacked later that month.
He may now also be struck off by the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
Stephens admits all charges levelled against him, which includes using social media platforms to post discriminatory comments in relation to disabled people, gay people and Islam.
He admits bringing the nursing profession into disrepute.
The hearing continues.
