A NURSE has appeared before a disciplinary panel charged with having group sex with an underage girl.

Rhona Sharman, 52, is alleged to have engaged in sexual activity with the girl and encouraged her to have sex with two other people.

Mrs Sharman is also accused of having sex while the girl watched. The staff nurse from Livingston, West Lothian, allegedly filmed the two encounters.

On both occasions, in September 2011, she is said to have encouraged the youngster to drink alcohol.

Mrs Sharman appeared before a disciplinary panel of the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

The hearing in Edinburgh was told the girl lied about her age, claiming to be 17, the first time she met Mrs Sharman. The girl also told of her "previous experience" with married couples.

Mrs Sharman, who had 26 years' experience in her profession, was said to have met the girl outside of her job with NHS Lothian.

The first charge against Mrs Sharman relates to her second meeting with the girl.

She is alleged to have engaged in "sexual activity with Child A", "caused and/or encouraged Child A to participate in sexual activity with Mr Y" and "caused and/or encouraged Child A to be present while you engaged in sexual activity with Mr Y".

Mrs Sharman is also alleged to have "video-taped the sexual activity" and "offered and/or supplied Child A with alcohol".

The second charge relates to a third meeting with the girl later the same month.

Mrs Sharman is again alleged to have been involved in sex with the girl, got her to watch while she had sex, filmed the activity, and offered the child alcohol.

The second charge alleges that Mrs Sharman "caused and/or encouraged Child A to participate in sexual activity with Mr Y and Person C".

Salim Hafejee, case presenter for the Nursing and Midwifery Council, told the hearing they were dropping three charges. One was that Mrs Sharman sent indecent texts to the girl, referred to as "witness X".

Mr Hafejee said: "In relation to the text messages between Mrs Sherman and witness X, there is no sufficient evidence to determine whether they were indecent."

He added: "Witness X had told the registrant about her previous experience with married couples."

A further charge that stated Mrs Sharman engaged in sexual activity with the youngster on their first meeting, in July 2011, was also dropped.

Mr Hafejee said: "It is clear that at the first meeting witness X did not assert she told Mrs Sharman her true age. She told Mrs Sherman she was 17."

He added: "It's accepted the registrant did not meet witness X through anything Mrs Sharman did as a nurse."

Mrs Sharman was suspended from her job in March 2012. She was later interviewed by police and released on bail.

The hearing continues.