Nurse branded a 'risk to the public' for refusing to use a paedophile's preferred pronouns wins settlement

By PATRICK HARRINGTON, UK NEWS REPORTER Published: 17:12, 13 April 2026 | Updated: 17:17, 13 April 2026 An NHS nurse who was branded a 'risk to the public' for referring to a transgender paedophile as 'Mr' has won an out-of-court settlement. Jennifer Melle, 41, from Croydon, was disciplined after refusing to adopt female pronouns for the six-foot convicted sex offender with a beard in May 2024. She was subjected to screaming racist abuse and threats of violence from the patient at St Helier Hospital in Carshalton, Surrey. Ms Melle was then suspended from her position in March 2025 after going public with her experience, with NHS officials concerned the patient could be identified from media reports - even though their identity was not disclosed. The single mother-of-two was reported to the professional regulator and kept off work for ten months, though still received pay. But she was finally reinstated in February this year after a public outcry, and the conclusion of a private disciplinary meeting that she had done nothing wrong. Now, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust has also cleared her of wrongdoing in relation to telling her story, and agreed a settlement with the nurse, ahead of a tribunal that was set to commence on Monday. Ms Melle said on Monday: 'I cannot discuss the terms of the settlement, but generally I am glad that my employer has finally decided to extend an olive branch to me. Jennifer Melle, 41, from Croydon, was suspended from her job at St Helier Hospital in Surrey after refusing to use female pronouns for a patient Ms Melle, pictured here with Women's and Equalities minister, Bridget Phillipson, and Health Minister, Karen Smyth, has since returned to work Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch met with Ms Melle in March to show her support 'I look forward to being able to focus on the job I love instead of defending myself against various bizarre accusations.' The trust said it was 'sorry' for the nurse's ordeal, and confirmed it had issued a written warning to the patient that racist language will not be tolerated.  Despite the settlement, Ms Melle's battle will continue as she remains the subject of two ongoing NMC investigations. These are lengthy processes that can take years to conclude, and have the power to restrict or even end her professional career. Ms Melle added: 'It should never have come to this. No nurse or other medical professionals should ever have to face what I have faced simply for telling the truth, doing their job, and reporting racist abuse and physical threats from a patient.' The past two years, she said, have been the 'darkest days of my life', but it is 'still far from over'. Andrea Williams, Chief Executive of the Christian Legal Centre, said: 'Jennifer's case has been one of the most concerning we have ever seen. '[She was] treated as the offender while the man, who racially abused and physically threatened her, was treated as the victim.' A spokesperson for Epsom and St Helier Hospitals NHS Trust said: 'Racial abuse of our staff is never acceptable, nor is discussing a patient's private medical information publicly. 'We are sorry that Miss Melle had this experience and we issued a written warning to this patient, but we expect all staff to maintain patient confidentiality at all times.' Ms Melle refused to adopt female pronouns for a patient, and referred to them as 'Mr'  She was disciplined and ultimately suspended after speaking out about her experience  Ms Melle, who came to the UK from Uganda, has served at St Helier Hospital for 12 years with an unblemished professional record, and worked her way up to the position of senior nurse. On the night of May 22, 2024, she was told that the patient had been brought in for treatment from a men's prison and was a sex offender. He entered the hospital chained to two guards and was masculine in appearance, standing over six feet tall and of large build. At 10pm, a distressed junior colleague told Ms Melle that the patient wanted to self-discharge, and reported that the patient was shouting and upsetting other patients. A doctor had been called to give guidance on the discharge, but had not yet responded - so Ms Melle attended to the patient. Looking at the patient's medical records, she saw that the patient was recorded as male, not female or 'transgender'.  On the name board next to the bed, it gave the female name. When her colleague got through to the doctor on the phone, Ms Melle asked to speak to him. She said to the doctor that: 'Mr X would like to self-discharge.' Overhearing the call, the patient screamed: 'Do not call me Mr! I am a woman!', before subjecting her to racist abuse. Ms Melle explained she would not use female pronouns for the patient because it railed against her Christian faith.  More than 18,000 people signed a petition calling for Ms Melle to be cleared of wrongdoing, it was reported earlier this year. Among her supporters was shadow equalities minister Claire Coutinho, who described Ms Melle as 'one of the bravest women I have ever met'. 'Her case is proof of how the NHS has been captured by a radical gender ideology that puts women at the bottom of the pile,' she said.  'In being punished for "misgendering" a convicted paedophile, she has been repeatedly failed by her employers and trade unions. 'She is a dedicated nurse with 13 years of faultless service. The NHS should not be punishing hard-working nurses who know biological sex is real.' After being pressed by Ms Coutinho in the House of Commons, Women and Equalities Minister Bridget Phillipson agreed to meet Jennifer personally to discuss her treatment, and in March 2026 Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch also met with her. Ms Badenoch underscored the seriousness of the case, while Phillipson confirmed in Parliament that no nurse in the NHS should be compelled to use preferred pronouns, a statement highlighting the national implications of Jennifer’s experience. No comments have so far been submitted. 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