Community nurse Melissa Dye (pictured arriving at the tribunal in London) admitted having sex with a soldier she met online in the dead little girl's room and on the special water mattress she needed due to her fragile bones

A nurse who had sex on the bed of a disabled girl's bed after she died has been told she can return to work.

The girl was born with a neurological disorder which meant her bones were so fragile she had to be provided with the special mattress.

Her condition eventually claimed her life and nurse Melissa Dye had helped look after her in her final days.

The waterbed was in a 'sensory room' which was left as a special memorial to the deceased girl.

Dye was house sitting for the deceased child's foster parents when the soldier named 'John' invited himself over after meeting Dye on an internet dating site.

She had sex with him in the sensory room before the couple ended up on the waterbed.

The girl's parents (referred to as Mr and Mrs A) are convinced Dye had sex on the waterbed for the thrill.

They were told by a neighbour there was an intruder in the house and saw Dye and the soldier having sex on CCTV after logging in to the cameras remotely, the Nursing and Midwifery Council heard.

Dye said she felt guilty as soon the sex session was over, but was 'caught up in a moment of passion.'

She was spared a suspension after she said she was having an 'emotionally difficult time.'

Dye told the NMC 'John' had initially only come over to 'say hello.'

She said: 'We met internet dating, he's in the Army.

'He knew I was house sitting in the area, and he texted me saying he was passing through for work and asked if he could come and say hello.

'I said that would be nice. I knew the mother didn't like strangers in the house but he wasn't going to be alone in the home.

'We never discussed me not having visitors.

'One thing led to another, we started kissing and it went from that.

'We started kissing in the sitting room, and we progressed to the bedroom.

'We just ended up in the sensory room not really thinking about it, I suppose because it's a bigger room.

'We had ended up on the waterbed.'

Dye had first started caring for the child while working for the Chestnut Tree House Hospice in Poling, West Sussex.

The foster father built a special sensory room for the little girl when her neurological disorder became so serious she could no longer go outside.

After her death in April 2015, her foster parents turned the room into a memorial for her, the tribunal heard.

The mother told the hearing: 'She knew our journey, she knew what had happened and that trust was abused.

'I feel I've been taken for a mug and been made a fool.

'The situation has destroyed my ability to let anyone come and work at my home or come into my home.

Dye first met the unwell child when caring for her at Chestnut Tree House hospice in Sussex (pictured). The Nursing and Midwifery Council found Dye had betrayed the trust of the family, and had known the distress her actions would cause

'I've completely lost my faith in people.

'My husband is completely destroyed, he's been having counselling.

'Our memories been violated by this horrible behaviour, I wish it hadn't happened.

'At the time we were so vulnerable, to then find she did that.'

She added: 'It was suggested it just happened, it was spontaneous they just fell in there.

'You don't just fall into somewhere completely naked. A quick fumble on the sofa - maybe.'

The parents later had to disinfect all the little girl's possessions, meaning they could no longer smell her scent on them.

Dye admitted she had sex with a soldier on the disabled girl’s bed but denied the mother's allegation that it happened on top of the child's possessions.

The panel found Dye had betrayed the trust of the family, and had known the distress her actions would cause.

But, she has avoided being struck off, and instead must now work under certain conditions.

These including writing a reflective piece, meeting with a line manager to discuss professional boundaries, and informing the NMC of any nursing role she takes in the UK or elsewhere.

Handing Dye a 12-month conditions of practice, NMC panel chair Monica French said: 'We accept that you were struck with guilt and remorse as soon as the sexual intercourse had ended, even before you knew the mother was aware of what you had done.

'You accept that, had you still been caring for the daughter, your actions would have been inappropriate and you would have failed to maintain a clear professional boundary.

'We were of the opinion that you were still under an obligation to behave professionally with the family.

'You were aware of how special the family home was to the parents and of their difficulty in accepting strangers into their home.

'You were aware that the sensory room, in particular, had a special significance for them as it held precious memories of their deceased daughter.

'By your own admission, you knew the distress your actions would cause.

'You betrayed the trust of Mr A and Mrs A who were particularly vulnerable and you were aware of this vulnerability.

'You were in an emotionally difficult period of your life.

'You displayed immediate and genuine remorse for your actions.