A former senior paediatric nursing lecturer at Anglia Ruskin University has had his nursing licence cancelled by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) after referring to Sikhs as "you lot" as well as calling a colleague's turban "a bandage" and "a hat".
Maurice Slaven, whose career spanned 22 years, was struck off after harassing his colleague between 2016 and 2018.
As well as insulting his colleague about his turban, Mr Slaven also attacked a charitable appeal for toys for Sikh children.
Anglia Ruskin University
Wiki Commons
During a team lunch, Mr Slaven asked: "What Sikh toys? Do you mean daggers, knives and swords?"
Sikhs must wear a curved sword - the Kirpan - at all times, as one of the five articles of faith.
Mr Salven also told his colleague, "you seem to take all the religious holidays off, and even Christmas and that’s not your holiday".
He also said: "you lot, Sikhs, have all these religious holidays."
The tribunal also heard that the lecturer mocked the Sikh religious figure Guru Nanak.
"Me and Guru Nanak are best buddies, I know him really well and he said he’ll be dressing up as Father Christmas this year", he said.
In the NMC report, the tribunal panel said: "Mr Slaven’s misconduct had breached the fundamental tenets of the nursing profession and therefore brought its reputation into disrepute."
The report also said that a colleague who witnessed the incident at the team lunch found Mr Slaven’s behaviour was "miles away" from Anglia Ruskin's values and the values of the NMC.
Concluding the report, the NMC panel remarked: "Mr Slaven’s actions were significant departures from the standards expected of a registered nurse and are fundamentally incompatible with him remaining on the register.
"The panel concluded that the findings in this particular case reflect the seriousness of Mr Slaven’s misconduct, and to allow him to continue practising would undermine public confidence in the profession and in the NMC as a regulatory body."
