A community mental health nurse who abused his position by engaging in sex with a female patient with pyschiatric problems has been jailed for 30 months..

Alex Musa Kanneh of Ming Street, Poplar, had sex with the woman who was a patient at a Tower Hamlets care home.

The home is run by the East London NHS Foundation who also employed Kanneh as a community mental health nurse.

The 43-year-old was sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Friday having pleaded guilty to the charge at a previous hearing last month.

The court had heard the Foundation notified police in April last year after becoming aware he was indulging in sexual activity with a patient at one of its homes.

Detectives from the Met Police’s Sapphire Unit, which investigates rape and cases of serious sexual assault interviewed the victim and Kanneh was arrested last summer and bailed while further inquiries were conducted.

He was charged in February.

Det Cons Mary Redbourn said: “I hope the sentence sends a message that those who abuse their position of trust will be prosecuted; and also underlines the Metropolitan Police commitment to fully investigating all allegations from vulnerable members of the public to the full extent of the law.”

In a statement the East London NHS Foundation Trust said:“East London NHS Foundation Trust informed the police as soon as the allegations against Alex Kanneh were known. He was suspended immediately. The Trust has worked closely with the Police to assist them with their investigation.

“East London NHS Foundation Trust encourages anyone who has been affected by this to call the Trust on freephone - 0800 783 4839 or telephone - 020 7655 4009 Our lines are open 9 am to 5 pm 7 days a week.”