A married NHS paramedic planned to target young girls by grooming their mothers online, even while attending to patients in his ambulance, a disciplinary hearing was told. Gary Hutton, 59, used a swinger's dating site to contact at least two women during 999 calls.

To establish trust, Hutton sent the women selfies of himself in his paramedic uniform and inside his vehicle, the Healthcare Practitioners Tribunal Service (HCPTS) heard. He then initiated conversations about their "kinks" and interest in "taboos." When one mother sent a picture of her 18-month-old baby, Hutton responded, "very nice." He also claimed he had previously been asked to "educate" the 13-year-old daughter of another couple he was messaging.

Hutton was eventually apprehended as part of an undercover police operation targeting online predators. During a conversation with an undercover officer posing as the mother of a six-year-old girl, he sent obscene images of himself and suggested meeting for sex with the child. He was arrested at work and detectives seized multiple electronic devices.

Analysis of one device revealed similar conversations with other women who had children between the ages of seven and 12. In these exchanges, Hutton discussed the sexual abuse and "education" of the children. It was not disclosed if these other women were traced.

Hutton, from Doncaster, South Yorkshire, was employed by Yorkshire Ambulance Service since 1998, becoming a qualified paramedic in 2013. He was arrested in February 2025 at an ambulance training center. During police questioning, Hutton initially remained silent but later described the conversations as "just fantasies."

In November of the previous year, Hutton was sentenced to 10 years in prison at Sheffield Crown Court after admitting to attempting to arrange or facilitate a child sex offense. A judge branded him a "dangerous offender."

The HCPTS panel concluded that Hutton's actions, while not resulting in actual harm, had the potential to place service users at risk by diverting his attention from patient care. The panel described his conduct as predatory grooming of mothers with the intent to engage in the sexual abuse of children. Hutton did not attend the HCPTS hearing and was struck off the professional register.

Upon his release from prison, Hutton will be on license until 2040 as part of an extended sentence. He is also subject to a 15-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.