A severely disabled patient incapable of speech used a series of blinks to say that a nurse was sexually abusing him.

The man, who is quadriplegic and has communication difficulties, was a patient under the care of University Hospital of South Manchester Trust, when he spelled out "I am being abused."

Nurse Ernesto Corpus has been sacked and banned from nursing by a disciplinary panel.

Corpus was acquitted of sex attacks against the patient in court in 2013, but the nursing watchdog has now called the patient’s evidence "compelling," the Manchester Evening News reported.

The man, who is quadriplegic and has communication difficulties, was a patient under the care of University Hospital of South Manchester Trust

The Nursing and Midwifery Council watched video evidence from the patient - whose communication has improved since the alleged abuse - and concluded he was "credible and reliable."

Corpus has shown "no remorse" and had to be removed from the nursing register to protect the public and the reputation of the profession, the panel said.

"By performing sexual acts on the patient, Mr Corpus’ actions stripped him of his dignity and caused him and his family emotional turmoil and psychological distress.

"There remains a real risk of repetition of this sort of behaviour, should the opportunity arise."

Although the patient’s level of communication has increased, we noted that giving evidence was difficult for him. The Nursing and Midwifery Council

Another nurse gave evidence to the panel that Corpus was "professional, pleasant and personable," and that she had no cause to doubt his ability as a nurse.

However, the panel found that he had acted in a "sexually predatory manner" towards the patient.