Nurse Rexy Reyes helped himself to thousands of pounds from a dementia-suffering patient
Martin Naylor Courts and legal affairs correspondent
10:07, 18 Nov 2025
Former QMC nurse Rexy Reyes, outside Nottingham Court Crown, ahead of being jailed for stealing from a dementia-suffering patient who was in his care(Image: Reach PLC)
The trust which runs the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham says it has “reinforced its policy around the safe storage of patient belongings” following the arrest of a nurse who stole from a patient with dementia.
Rexy Reyes unlocked a secure cupboard and helped himself to a bank card belonging to the woman, who was in her 70s and under his care, and “maxed it out” on 22 consecutive days, withdrawing almost £6,500 from her account.
The 52-year-old, of Broxtowe Lane, Aspley, was jailed for 18 months yesterday, Monday, November 17, after a jury found him guilty of theft.
In a statement, Tracy Pilcher, Chief Nurse at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We are shocked and saddened by the actions of Rexy Reyes and our thoughts are with the victim’s family.
“The actions of one individual against someone in their care will have caused further grief for the family at an already traumatic time and we are pleased to see justice served.
“Since their arrest, the individual has not been in the workplace.
“We have already reinforced our policy around the safe storage of patient belongings and will now continue with a review of our approach to this in light of (this week’s) outcome.”
Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham(Image: Nottingham Post)
A trial at Nottingham Crown Court heard how Reyes took the card from the purse of the victim after she was admitted to ward B47 at QMC, where he worked in early 2020.
Prosecutor Devni Kitulagoda told the jury how he then used it on 22 consecutive days at an ATM, which was at the hospital but not covered by any cameras.
She said: “She was a lady with dementia who had been admitted to the QMC on January 24 as her condition was worsening.
“She was moved to a ward where the defendant worked as a nurse and her belongings were locked away in a locker that only staff have access to, not the patients or the families.
“Within her wallet was a piece of paper with the PIN number on it.”
Miss Kitulagoda said the theft was discovered on February 22, 2020, when the victim’s nephew, Mark Norman, went to her bungalow to check her post after she had been discharged from the QMC to a respite home in Cotgrave.
She said he had been asked to go there by his father, who had Power of Attorney for the victim, and when he opened a bank statement, he discovered the multiple withdrawals.
Mr Norman said: “This has shaken my confidence in the health service.
“I think the NHS is fantastic, and I want to reflect that my thoughts are only related to this individual.
“The only saving grace is that my aunt’s condition meant that she never knew she was the victim of this callous act.”
Jailing Reyes, Judge James Sampson said: “This was a mean offence which was motivated by greed and which took place over several weeks.
“You deliberately targeted your victim based on her vulnerability – that being an elderly dementia patient.
“This was a breach of trust which the public are entitled to place on nurses whose job is to care for the most vulnerable.
“Your actions lead to a loss in confidence by the public on the nursing profession and that is significant because this is a profession whose sole purpose is to care for those with needs.
“There was no remorse and you have heard about the impact this has had on the victim’s family.”
As well as the jail term, the judge ordered the defendant, of Broxtowe Lane, to pay £6,450 compensation to the victim’s family and to pay £4,380 prosecution costs.
