Pregnant Counsellor Admitted Sex With Patient

A psychologist who did counselling work at a mental health unit has been given a 12 month suspended prison sentence after she admitted having a sexual relationship with a patient.

Preston Crown Court was told that Stephanie Reeves, a 30-year-old married woman, is expecting the victim’s baby in a fortnight.

Reeves of Delph Street, Wigan, was working at the Guild Lodge medium secure unit at Whittingham Hospital, near Preston, at the time. It houses patients under the Mental Health Act.

She admitted engaging in sexual activity with the man, who can’t be named for legal reasons.

She had sex with him in the gymnasium toilets when they were alone for 25 minutes.

Reeves wept and sobbed as she was also placed on the sex offenders’ list for ten years for what the judge described as a “grave breach of trust”.

The jail sentence was suspended for two years.

She was supported at court by the mother of the man, who was diagnosed paranoid schizophrenia.

Mr George Shone, prosecuting, explained that Reeves had been a highly thought of associate practitioner and although she left the hospital in 2006, she stayed on the “bank”.

In June last year concerns were raised about the relationship being more than just professional.

She denied any sexual relaitonship but management directed they should have no further contact.

She resigned in July and later produced a three page typed statement that amounted to a confession, said the prosecution.

Mr Shone added: “She said she was pregnant with him and carrying his baby.

“She said that when he was released, she wanted to start a relationship with him and bring up their child together”.

The child’s father has refused to co-operate with the investigation.

His condition has since deteriorated and he has been transferred to a high security hospital.

Mr Bill Swalwell, defending, said Reeves had been under stress.

She and her husband had separated several months earlier and her father had had a severe heart attack.

“She is not manipulative, exploitative. If anything, she is vulnerable and naive.

“She was lonely, vulnerable, had low self esteem and was not thinking clearly.”

He said there there had been no sexual relationship before the gym incident.

“He made advances towards her. She says he went to kiss her. She immediately stood back. He went to kiss her again. Then she responded.

“Had she not made that statement, these proceedings would never have begun.

“She of course knew that what she had done was wrong and in that moment she had effectively sealed the fate of her career, everything she had been working for the last five years.”

Mr Swalwell added that the child’s father did not regard himself as a victim.

“He has made it very clear that he wants to be with her and that he is delighted at the prospect of becoming a father.

“He says the relationship was the best thing ever to happen to him and has given him a future and an incentive to work with those treating him.”

Judge Norman Wright said it was a grave breach of trust, but she was not a predator and it was not a case of her taking advantage of his mental disabilities for her own sexual gratification.

The judge said he was satisfied there was a relationship of genuine affection between them.

“Justice demands a custodial sentence, but because of the extremely unusual surrounding circumstances of the case, I am departing from the sentencing guidelines”, explained the judge.