A "notorious" alleged pedophile nurse in Tasmania was reported to police and breached boundaries with patients across two decades before he was criminally charged.
Tasmania Police was provided with child exploitation-related evidence about James Geoffrey Griffin almost 20 years before he was charged with sexually abusing children in 2019, an inquiry heard on Monday.
There were multiple occasions where Griffin overstepped boundaries with young patients during 18 years working at the Launceston General Hospital's paediatric ward 4K.
A commission of inquiry into Tasmanian government responses to child sexual abuse allegations in the public service is for the next fortnight examining the health system.
Griffin took his own life in October 2019 not long after being charged with child sexual offences.
In September 2000, a person told Tasmania Police they found child exploitation material and links to child abuse websites on a computer they had purchased from Griffin, then a student nurse.
In March 2001, the person sent a follow-up email to police, counsel assisting the inquiry, Elizabeth Bennett SC, said during opening submissions.
"I find it very distressing that I have heard nothing about any inquiries," the email read.
"I do not want to think he is working in a kids ward somewhere in Tasmania unsupervised, given what I have found."
Ms Bennett said the inquiry had been unable to determine the outcome of the complaint.
Griffin started at ward 4K in September 2001.
He received a written warning about a boundary breach in 2004 after hugging a child, allegedly kissed a child on the head in 2005, and in 2009 offered to stay overnight with a young female patient
In March 2009, police received a report Griffin had "upskirted" young girls while working as a medic on the Spirit of Tasmania ferry service.
His house was searched, with police noting he cleared his computer browser history daily and had a "large number" of photos of young girls.
Ms Bennett said the matter was "filed for intelligence".
"There is no record of formal notification from Tasmania Police to the Launceston General Hospital at this time," she said.
In March 2015, Tasmania Police was provided with "credible information" that Griffin had discussed child abuse online.
"A source provided (further) information to police in April 2015 ... it appears the information was not accessed and no further action was taken," Ms Bennett said.
Tasmania Police representatives are set to provide evidence to the inquiry in coming weeks.
In 2017, the hospital noted Griffin called a patient pet names, resulting in a third written warning that matters could be escalated if his behaviour continued.
Police allegedly found child abuse material at Griffith's house in mid-2019 after a survivor made accusations against him.
He was suspended from work and charged with several counts of indecent assault, possessing child exploitation material and sexual intercourse with a young person.
"The case of James Griffin is one of rumour, notoriety and fear," Ms Bennett said.
Tasmania Police in 2021 issued a formal apology for deficiencies in their investigation into Griffin.
Survivor Ben Felton said he was abused by a different male nurse at the hospital in 1989 as a 13-year-old and his complaints fell on deaf ears.
The inquiry was told 11-year-old Zoe Duncan, who suffered epilepsy and died in 2017, was raped by a doctor at the hospital in 2001.
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