A HOSPITAL employee has been struck off the health and care professions council’s register after stabbing his partner repeatedly with a broken glass.

Huw Diamond, an operating department practitioner employed by Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, was convicted of two counts of unlawful wounding, driving a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol and failing without reasonable cause to surrender to custody.

He was struck of the register following a hearing of the HCPC Conduct and Competence Committee on April 13.

The panel heard that on July 16, 2013, Mr Diamond was involved in a violent arguments during which he

stabbed his partner repeatedly with a broken glass in his back and head causing lacerations.

On July 17, during a second argument, he punched his partner in the eye, attempted to strangle him, smashed a glass against a wall and used the jagged edges to stab his partner in the knee, causing lacerations which required six stitches.

On his own guilty plea, he was convicted of two counts of unlawful wounding at Manchester Crown Court on February 27, 2014.

He was sentenced to 16 months imprisonment and ordered to pay £100 victim surcharge.

The panel further heard that on July 29, 2013 Mr Diamond was released on bail in relation to the driving offence on condition that he surrender on September 6, 2013 but he failed to surrender to bail and was taken into custody.

Further to his convictions, the trust held a disciplinary hearing on June 23, 2014 which resulted in his employment being summarily terminated for gross misconduct.

Panel chair Penny Griffith said: “The nature and seriousness of Mr Diamond’s convictions are such that he is

not fit to be a member of the profession. Public confidence in both the profession and the regulator would be undermined if he were allowed to continue in practice as an operating department practitioner.”

The Panel decided the only appropriate and proportionate sanction was to strike the name of Huw Diamond from the register.

Huw Diamond was not present or represented at the hearing.

A spokesman for the trust said: “We referred this case to the HCPC after we terminated Mr Diamond’s contract as a result of his criminal convictions. In line with our duty to protect the public, patients and staff we informed the HCPC which led to this hearing and they have completed their investigation and implemented actions accordingly.”