WA nurse banned for 10 years following conviction for drug and child sex offences

03 Jan 2024

A tribunal has prohibited a nurse from providing any health service and disqualified him from re-applying for registration for 10 years after he was convicted of drug and child sex offences.

Content warning: Some readers may find this article distressing. If you are experiencing distress, please visit the NM Support website or contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 for help.

Peter de Mouilpied was referred to the State Administrative Tribunal of Western Australia (the tribunal) by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) for allegedly engaging in and pleading guilty to conduct contrary to sections of the Criminal Code (WA) and WA drugs legislation by:

• producing and possessing child exploitation material,
• engaging in indecent acts by exposing himself and masturbating near his front window in view of children,
• stealing Marcaine from his employer, and
• possession of cannabis, drug paraphernalia and police clothing.

In March 2022, Mr de Mouilpied was convicted of the charges in the District Court and sentenced to three years and five months imprisonment.

Mr de Mouilpied was first registered as a nurse in July 2008. He worked as a nurse and theatre nurse in public hospitals until August 2021 when his employment was suspended due to a criminal investigation into the offending.

On 26 August 2021, the NMBA was notified by Western Australia police of Mr de Mouilpied’s conduct. The NMBA suspended Mr de Mouilpied’s registration under its immediate action powers on 15 September 2021. The NMBA referred the matter to the tribunal in March 2023 following a thorough investigation.

The tribunal determined that Mr de Mouilpied had engaged in professional misconduct and ordered that he be:

• reprimanded,
• disqualified from re-applying for registration for ten years from 2 November 2023, and
• prohibited from providing any health service until he is returned to the register of health practitioners by the NMBA.

The tribunal found the conduct of Mr de Mouilpied to be inconsistent with being a fit and proper person to hold registration as a nurse and ordered that he pay $5,000 towards the NMBA’s costs.