A healthcare assistant, Adewale Kudabo, has been sentenced to 12 months in prison after admitting to sexually assaulting a female patient while working at York Hospital.
According to The Press (Yorkpress.co.uk), the incidents took place while Kudabo, 47, was assigned to care for a patient in severe pain. Prosecutor Henry Fernandez told the court that although Kudabo was responsible for helping the patient with personal care, the assaults occurred after he had finished bathing her.
Following the bath, Kudabo leaned down and kissed the patient on the lips. Despite her pain and limited mobility, the woman attempted to move away but was unable to prevent the kiss. A few days later, he again asked if she wanted another bed bath and repeated the unwanted behavior by kissing her a second time. The victim reported the incidents to the police, later revealing that they left her distressed and suffering from anxiety and flashbacks.
Kudabo, a resident of South Bank in York, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault at the start of his trial in April. On June 10, Judge Alex Menary sentenced him to a year in prison, stating that Kudabo had seriously violated the trust placed in him as a healthcare professional. The judge ordered that he serve at least half of the sentence before being considered for release, adding that the nature of the offences made immediate custody necessary.
In mitigation, defense lawyer Jerry Sodipe said Kudabo had no prior criminal history and was remorseful for his actions. He claimed that Kudabo believed he was offering comfort to the patient, but now fully understands that his conduct was inappropriate and unacceptable. Kudabo, who moved to the UK from Nigeria with his family, has since lost his job.
After the sentencing, a spokesperson for the York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which manages York Hospital, issued an apology. “We offer our heartfelt apologies to the patient involved. Everyone under our care should feel safe and respected. We acted quickly once the incident was reported, and the staff member left his role shortly afterward.”
