An agency nurse was caught on film switching off the ventilator in the home of a Devizes man needing round-the-clock care, and then attempting to switch it back on, a disciplinary hearing has heard.

Violeta Aylward was on the books of an agency as a registered learning disabilities nurse and had no intensive care unit (ITU) training or experience when she went in December 2008 to care for Jamie Merrett, a man paralysed from the neck downwards, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) was told today.

The 39-year-old from Crammer Court, Devizes, named only as Patient A in the hearing, was "completely dependent" on a mechanical ventilator to breathe and needed 24-hour care following a road traffic accident in 2002, the NMC was told.

He had become so concerned about "significant failings" in his nursing care in relation to his ventilator on two previous occasions that he had installed CCTV in his room, the NMC conduct and competence panel was told.

Footage later showed Ms Aylward, who was on the books of Ambition 24hours Nursing Agency, switching off his ventilator and then pushing buttons in an attempt to turn it back on at the start of a night shift on January 8 2009, the hearing was told.

Neil Moloney, for the NMC, said in early December 2008 the agency had been asked to provide a nurse to cover some shifts caring for Mr Merrett and had been aware of the requirement that the nurse must have either ITU training or experience.

Ms Aylward was on the agency's books as a registered learning disabilities nurse which was "not the same" as a registered general nurse, he said.

"The registrant (Ms Aylward) had no ITU training or experience," he said.

"On two previous occasions Patient A had experienced significant failings in his nursing care in relation to his ventilator," he added.

"He was very anxious about a recurrence of any such incident and he had therefore had installed CCTV in his room.

"The registrant (Ms Aylward) was not involved in the previous occasions."

He said the CCTV footage was viewed following the incident, showing Ms Aylward going into his room at around 8.05pm to undertake observations.

She had left and then returned shortly afterwards to check the ventilator settings.

"She is seen to have pushed several buttons and after a moments, a red light appeared on the ventilator and the alarm was activated," he said.

"The registrant continued to push more buttons on the ventilator in an attempt to turn it back on."

The hearing was told a 999 call was made by a care assistant and Mr Merrett was transferred to hospital intensive care.

Ms Aylward, who was not present at the hearing, faces an allegation of misconduct. It is alleged she worked a shift despite knowing that she was not competent to do so and that she provided inadequate care to Mr Merrett.

A BBC report said Mr Merrett was left brain damaged after the incident.

The hearing was told a police investigation had been undertaken after the incident.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) considered the case and decided there was "insufficient evidence" to prosecute Ms Aylward for the criminal offence of causing grievous bodily harm, Mr Moloney said.

The hearing is scheduled to last until Friday.