Case No. 0827Professional misconduct, poor professional performance, noncompliance with code of professional conduct · Co. Dublin
Nurse Prisca Ngozi Umeobi's registration cancelled by High Court after professional misconduct finding
A nurse, Prisca Ngozi Umeobi, was found guilty of professional misconduct and poor professional performance in relation to her care of patients at Mater Private Hospital in Dublin in July and August 2021. The allegations included failing to apply a dressing to a patient, failing to shower a patient until the afternoon, placing a patient who had a knee replacement on a bedpan and leaving them unattended, and failing to assess a patient for pain. The NMBI fitness-to-practise committee, after a three-day inquiry, found her actions constituted deliberate or reckless acts involving an abuse of the trust placed in a nurse and that the failures could not be remedied through conditions, education, or suspension. On 12 June 2026, the High Court, presided over by Mr Justice David Barniville, confirmed the cancellation of her nursing registration.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court12 Jun
2 reports - Verdictnot reported
- Sentenced12 Jun
2 reports
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- The nurse failed to apply a dressing to a patient, failed to shower a patient until the afternoon, placed a patient who had a knee replacement on a bedpan and left them unattended, acted inappropriately while cleaning a patient, and failed to assess a patient for pain.
- Where
- The care issues occurred at Mater Private Hospital in Dublin.
- When
- The care issues occurred in July and August 2021.
- Investigation
- The NMBI fitness-to-practise inquiry was held over three days, with Kevin Kelly BL moving the application for cancellation on behalf of the NMBI.
- Charges
- The nurse was found guilty of professional misconduct, poor professional performance, and noncompliance with a code of professional conduct.
- Other details
- The committee said the nurse's actions constituted deliberate or reckless acts involving an abuse of the trust placed in a nurse and that the findings were at the most serious end of the scale.
- The committee said the failures could not be remedied through conditions, education courses, or suspension, and that patient care could have been jeopardised but for the intervention of colleagues or medical staff.
- In court
- The High Court, presided over by Mr Justice David Barniville, heard the case on 12 June 2026.
- Sentence
- The nurse's registration was cancelled.
63 statements extracted from the articles
- whatThe nurse failed to apply a dressing to a patient. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe nurse failed to shower a patient until the afternoon. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe nurse placed a patient who had a knee replacement on a bedpan and left them unattended. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe nurse acted inappropriately while cleaning a patient and made faces. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe nurse failed to follow through on prescribed care needs for patients on more than one occasion. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe nurse failed to assess a patient for pain. (irishtimes.com)
- whatShe failed to apply a dressing to a patient (irishmirror.ie)
- whatShe failed to shower a patient until the afternoon (irishmirror.ie)
- whatShe placed a patient who had a knee replacement on a bedpan and left them unattended (irishmirror.ie)
- whatShe acted inappropriately while cleaning a patient and made faces (irishmirror.ie)
- whatShe failed to follow through on prescribed care needs on more than one occasion (irishmirror.ie)
- whatShe failed to assess a patient for pain (irishmirror.ie)
- whatMohammad Rehman arrived in Ireland by ferry the previous day with plans to set up a mobile valeting business while staying with his cousin. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatRehman was required to drive the men to the address on three occasions shortly after he arrived. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe victim was found with a head wound and slash marks to his body. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatOn the second visit, a man took a petrol can from the boot and threatened to burn the house down, captured on CCTV. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatOn the third visit, three males exited the car and the victim was attacked inside the house. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatTwo men arrived at the taxi rank and engaged in a conversation with three women (irishmirror.ie)
- whatCox and a co-accused approached the two men and gestured for them to move away from the women (irishmirror.ie)
- whatCox pushed and struck one of the men a number of times (irishmirror.ie)
- whatCox kicked the man in the face while he was trying to get up (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe second man was punched by the co-accused and kicked in the face twice by Cox while on the ground (irishmirror.ie)
- whatApproximately 15 minutes later the two injured men were assaulted by a second group and sustained extensive injuries (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe first injured man suffered pain and bruising to the head and face, ongoing headaches and impaired vision (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe second injured man suffered a full knee dislocation, fractures to his fibula and tibia, and multiple tears to his knee ligaments (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe nurse worked at Mater Private Hospital in Dublin. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe nurse worked at Mater Private Hospital in Dublin in July and August 2021 (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe incident occurred at a taxi rank on Drogheda Street, Balbriggan (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe care issues occurred in July and August 2021. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe car first came to the house at about 3.14am on 3 August 2025. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe incident took place on 31 March 2024 (irishmirror.ie)
- causeGardaí believe the attack was caused by a drugs transaction that went wrong. (irishmirror.ie)
- weaponUnknown males assaulted the victim with a knife and hammer. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe fitness-to-practise inquiry was held over three days. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeThe nurse was found guilty of professional misconduct, poor professional performance, and noncompliance with a code of professional conduct. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeShe was found guilty of professional misconduct, poor professional performance and non-compliance with a code of professional conduct (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeRehman pleaded guilty to acting to impede the apprehension or prosecution of three men by driving the vehicle involved in an aggravated burglary to and from the scene in Tallaght on 3 August 2025. (irishmirror.ie)
- chargeKevin Cox pleaded guilty to a single count of violent disorder (irishmirror.ie)
- courtHigh Court president Judge David Barniville confirmed the cancellation of the nurse's registration. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe High Court cancelled her nursing registration (irishmirror.ie)
- courtMr Justice David Barniville, president of the High Court, confirmed the cancellation (irishmirror.ie)
- courtKevin Kelly BL moved the application for cancellation on behalf of the NMBI and an inquiry was held over three days (irishmirror.ie)
- courtThe case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court before Judge Martin Nolan. (irishmirror.ie)
- courtJudge Elma Sheahan passed sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court (irishmirror.ie)
- sentenceJudge Martin Nolan set a headline sentence of five and a half years, reduced to three and a half years on the basis of mitigation. (irishmirror.ie)
- sentenceThe sentence was backdated to when Rehman went into custody. (irishmirror.ie)
- sentenceThe judge set a headline sentence of six years (irishmirror.ie)
- sentenceCox was sentenced to four years in prison with the final 18 months suspended for 18 months under strict conditions (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe committee said the nurse's actions constituted deliberate or reckless acts involving an abuse of the trust placed in a nurse. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe committee said the nurse's failures could not be remedied through conditions, education courses, or suspension. (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe committee said the actions constituted deliberate or reckless acts involving an abuse of the trust placed in a nurse (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe committee said the findings were at the most serious end of the scale (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe committee said patient care could have been jeopardised but for the intervention of colleagues or medical staff (irishmirror.ie)
- otherRehman has been in custody since his arrest in August 2025. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherRehman had no relevant previous convictions and it was his first time in prison. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherRehman tested negative for drugs and earned several certifications while in custody. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherRehman plans to return to the UK and not return to Ireland anytime soon. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherCCTV footage showed Cox was the instigator of the disorder (irishmirror.ie)
- otherCox was 46 years old at the time of the incident (irishmirror.ie)
- otherAggravating factors included a similar previous conviction from 2002 and repeated kicking of people on the ground (irishmirror.ie)
- otherCox had €4,000 in court as a token of his remorse (irishmirror.ie)
- otherBoth victims were out of work and unable to send money home to support their families (irishmirror.ie)
- otherCox has 16 previous convictions, most from the District Court (irishmirror.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 12 Jun2026Man jailed for instigating violent disorder at Irish taxi rank
Reports the sentencing of Kevin Cox for violent disorder, including details of the assault at the taxi rank, injuries sustained by two victims, a second attack by a different group, and the judge's reasoning for the custodial sentence.
convicted, Kevin Cox, 48, male, named, irish (judged from name)Kevin Coxvictim, malevictim, malesuspect - 12 Jun2026Englishman who took ferry to Ireland jailed for helping serious criminals escape
Reports the sentencing of Mohammad Rehman, who drove the car used in the Tallaght aggravated burglary on three occasions. Judge Martin Nolan set a headline sentence of five and a half years, reduced to three and a half years, backdated to his custody in August 2025.
convicted, Mohammad Rehman, 24, male, English, named, non-irishMohammad Rehmanvictim, malesuspect, malesuspect, malesuspect, male - 12 Jun2026Nurse guilty of professional misconduct has registration cancelled by High Court
The High Court, presided over by Mr Justice David Barniville, cancelled the nurse's registration following the NMBI Fitness to Practise Committee's finding that her actions constituted deliberate or reckless acts involving an abuse of trust and that her failures could not be remedied through conditions, education or suspension.
accused, Prisca Ngozi Umeobi, female, named, non-irish (judged from name)Prisca Ngozi Umeobi - 12 Jun2026Nurse’s registration cancelled by High Court after misconduct finding
High Court president Judge David Barniville confirmed the cancellation of the nurse's registration following the NMBI fitness-to-practise committee's recommendation.
suspect, Prisca Ngozi Umeobi, female, named, non-irish (judged from name)Prisca Ngozi Umeobi