Gallagher was let off with a caution by the commit

Gallagher was let off with a caution by the committee after it heard he had lost relatives in the September 11 terrorist attack in America.

He has been working for the last two and a half years at the Madeira Nursing Home Group in Working as deputy matron.

Today his employer Ashrath Jaddoo pledged to keep Gallagher on as a nurse if he was not removed from the register.

But he did reveal that he had first taken on the nurse without being told of the investigation into the thefts in Plymouth.

He added: ‘I feel he has performed quite well in my organisation and I feel no reason to interfere with his terms of contract.

‘There are terrific shortages of nurses in this country and I was having to import people from all over the world to do the job.

‘I told him I would give him the opportunity.

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Gallagher’s barrister Peter Marshall told the committee that the mistake was out of character.

‘He has lost relatives in the bombings in America and I don’t think there can be many more things more stressful than that.

‘He has not taken to drinking and gambling so I think he is demonstrating he has found better ways of coping with stress than he did last time.

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Committee Chairman Eileen Watkins said: ‘We believe that your conduct at the time was out of character and that you are genuinely remorseful.

‘You have a previously unblemished record for 25 years and although your actions are recorded as professional misconduct your name should not be removed from the register.

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ends