Relaxation technique 'felt dirty'

Published on Tuesday 18 August 2009 22:03

A NURSE was sacked after it was claimed he hypnotised patients in order to grope them.

Iain Balsillie, 40, from Fife, lost his job at BSkyB where he worked as an occupational nurse after two women working at a call centre in Dunfermline claimed he tried to put them into a trance before touching them up.

It is claimed Balsillie used the trigger words "drop for me" in an attempt to make women fall into his arms, after which he would grab them and lower their head onto his private parts.

One woman – who claims she fell prey to his advances – said she felt like she had been raped by Balsillie.

The occupational nurse offered to resign over the allegations but managers at the broadcaster terminated his employment instead.

It was revealed that after the incidents in Fife Balisillie was convicted of a similar attack on a woman in Manchester.

He was jailed for 12 months in September last year after admitting sexual assault.

Balsillie was released in March but has been placed on the sex offenders register for ten years.

He now faces being struck off by the Nursing and Midwifery Council over the hypnotism claims, as well as his conviction.

Yesterday, a tribunal heard evidence from a woman – Patient B – who said Balsillie used a hypnosis technique.

Patient B said Balsillie told her to "drop for him" and she fell backwards into his arms.

She said he held her by the belt loops of her jeans and lowered her head so it was level with his private parts before picking her up in such a way that his hands were touching the sides of her breasts.

The woman said Balsillie was shaking and breathing heavily and she could feel his erect private parts on the back of her head.

"I felt dirty, I felt like he had raped me," she said.

Another similar incident with a second woman at the same call centre also emerged before Balisillie was confronted about his behaviour.

He admitted that he was not trained in these "relaxation techniques" and apologised that what had happened had upset the patients.

The hearing continues.