A Mater Dei Hospital nurse has been placed on probation after he admitted to touching a female patient while she was being ferried the hospital for treatment and apologised for his actions.

Lawrence Debono, 39, from Birkirkara, was charged with committing violent indecent assault and committing a crime he was duty bound to prevent.

The case took place on Sunday afternoon while the Iranian woman was being taken to hospital. It is understood that the nurse touched the woman’s breasts but no details were given in court this morning.

Mr Debono’s lawyers, Jason Azzopardi and Kris Busietta, informed the court that their client was sorry for what he had done.

Lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri, appearing for the woman, who cannot be named by order of the court, said she had accepted the man’s apology.

Magistrate Doreen Clarke found the man guilty and placed him under a two-year probation order.

In handing down the sentence she noted that the man had a clean record.

Inspectors Jonathan Ransley and Silvana Briffa prosecuted.