A United Kingdom court has sentenced Adewale Kudabo, a Nigerian healthcare worker at York Hospital, to one year in jail for sexually assaulting a patient under his care.
Judge Alex Menary, who handed down the sentence on June 10, said Kudabo had “abused the trust” placed in him as a medical professional.
“You abused that trust,” the judge told Kudabo, adding that the victim had placed her trust in him during a vulnerable moment.
Kudabo pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault on the first day of his trial in April. Judge Menary ruled that Kudabo must serve half of the sentence before becoming eligible for release.
The court heard that the victim has since suffered anxiety and flashbacks stemming from the incident, which occurred while she was receiving care at the hospital. Continue Reading…
The York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs York Hospital, said Kudabo left his position at the hospital soon after the incident and extended its “sincere apologies” to the victim.
Prosecutor Henry Fernandez said Kudabo had been assigned to bathe the patient, who was in significant pain. After completing the task, Kudabo kissed the patient on the lips.
Despite her pain, the victim attempted to move away but could not avoid the kiss, Fernandez told the court. The victim was “left in a state of confusion” and felt deeply uncomfortable by the incident.
Days later, Kudabo reportedly offered her another “bed bath” and again attempted to kiss her, Fernandez added.
Jerry Sodipe, Kudabo’s defence lawyer, told the court that his client had no prior convictions and expressed remorse for his actions.
“He has held up his hands to say, yes he is guilty – he shouldn’t have done that,” Sodipe said, adding that Kudabo was “moved to sympathy” by the victim’s pain but now acknowledges that his conduct was “inappropriate and unacceptable.”
Sodipe said Kudabo had relocated to the UK from Nigeria with his family for work and has since lost his job as a result of the incident. Continue Reading…
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