An NHS nurse who was suspended after she referred to a transgender paedophile patient as 'Mr' has been allowed to return to work today.
Jennifer Melle, 41, was forced out of St Helier Hospital in Carshalton, Surrey, in May 2024 after a 6ft male sex offender with a beard objected to the masculine title.
During the incident, Ms Melle was subjected to screaming racist abuse and threats of violence from the patient.
She was then accused of a potential patient data breach by Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust for speaking about the incident - despite the person's identity remaining unknown.
The single mother-of-two was suspended, disciplined, and finally reinstated after public outcry and protests by groups including the Darlington nurses - who won their case against an NHS hospital that allowed a male-born colleague to use women's changing rooms.
Today, Ms Melle is set to return to hospital to work alongside her colleagues on the frontline.
She told the Express: 'While I am glad to be returning to work, I must be honest: this is not over.
'For nearly a year I have been suspended simply for telling the truth: that I was racially abused and physically threatened after using biologically accurate language to refer to a male patient. I was treated as the criminal.'
Jennifer Melle, 41, (pictured) at an NHS disciplinary panel in Epsom last month
Ms Melle referred to a transgender paedophile patient who identifies as a women as 'Mr'
Ms Melle had served as a nurse for 12 years before the incident, which saw the sex offender - known as Patient X - turn up chained to guards from a men's prison to receive treatment for a urinary infection.
As he was fitted with a catheter, he objected to being called 'Mr' and launched a torrent of racial abuse towards the nurse.
Ms Melle was transferred to another ward as investigations took place, before being handed a written warning in December 2024 following a disciplinary hearing.
The Trust later suspended the mother for nine months in April 2025 while investigating allegations she had publicly disclosed details of the incident.
Ms Melle, a Christian, is taking the trust to an employment tribunal, claiming she was the victim of harassment, discrimination, and breaches of freedom of thought and religion.
She still faces two outstanding Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) fitness-to-practice investigations over 'misgendering' the paedophile. Her union, the Royal College of Nursing, refused to support her, it is understood.
Ms Melle said: 'Two NMC cases remain open, and a full employment tribunal is scheduled for April.'
More than 18,000 people signed a petition calling for Ms Melle to be cleared of wrongdoing, it was reported last month.
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 was then suspended, disciplined, and finally reinstated after public outcry and protests by groups including the Darlington nurses
Ms Melle's supporters included (from left): Fife nurse Sandie Peggie, Rebecca Paul MP, Darlington nurse Bethany Hutchison, Jim Shannon MP, Mims Davies MP, Claire Coutinho MP, Darlington nurse Lisa Lockey and Rosie Duffield MP
'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.'
Others fighting Ms Melle's corner were MPs Rebecca Paul, Jim Shannon, Mims Davies, Rosie Duffield and NHS Fife nurse Sandie Peggie, who was suspended from her job at Kirkcaldy hospital's A&E department after complaining about transgender doctor Beth Upton using a women's changing room.
Following her crunch hearing, from which press and public were excluded, Ms Melle said she was 'deeply relieved and grateful'.
'This has been an incredibly long and painful journey,' she said. 'I want to give thanks, first and foremost, to Jesus, who has sustained me every step of the way.
'I also want to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone who has stood with me, prayed for me, and supported me through the darkest moments. Your encouragement has meant more than you will ever know.'
Andrea Williams, Chief Executive of the Christian Legal Centre, said today: 'Jennifer's reinstatement is welcome, but it is justice delayed and only partially delivered. The Trust was poised to dismiss a dedicated Christian nurse for the "crime" of telling the truth about the racial abuse and physical threats she suffered at the hands of a convicted paedophile.
'It took national media pressure, the intervention of an MP, and the weight of public outrage to force them to do the right thing.'
After her reinstatement, 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 Ms 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.'
