Nigerian Health Worker Jailed for kissing Patient at UK Hospital
The 47-year-old was convicted of two counts of sexual assault after pleading guilty on the first day of his trial in April.
A Nigerian healthcare assistant, Adewale Kudabo, has been sentenced to 12 months in prison after admitting to sexually assaulting a female patient at York Hospital in the UK.
The 47-year-old was convicted of two counts of sexual assault after pleading guilty on the first day of his trial in April. The incidents took place while Kudabo was working under the York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which has since expressed regret over the violation of patient trust.
According to prosecutor Henry Fernandez, Kudabo was assigned to bathe a patient who was in severe pain. Although the assault did not occur during the bathing process, it happened immediately afterward when Kudabo leaned in and kissed the patient on the lips. Despite her condition, the victim managed to recoil slightly, but the kiss still occurred.
A few days later, Kudabo again approached the patient, offering another "bed bath" before proceeding to kiss her a second time, which she could not avoid. The patient eventually reported the assaults to the police, leading to Kudabo’s arrest and prosecution.
The court heard that the victim continues to suffer from anxiety and flashbacks as a result of the incidents. Sentencing Kudabo, Judge Alex Menary stressed the betrayal of professional trust, stating, “You abused that trust.” He emphasized that only an immediate custodial sentence could reflect the gravity of the offence.
Kudabo, who lived in South Bank, York, and had no previous convictions, was ordered to serve at least half of his 12-month sentence before becoming eligible for release.
His lawyer, Jerry Sodipe, said Kudabo felt remorse for his actions, claiming he had misjudged his behavior as a misguided form of comfort. However, he acknowledged that his conduct was inappropriate and unacceptable.
Following the hearing, the hospital trust offered a formal apology to the victim and affirmed that Kudabo had left his position shortly after the allegations came to light. “Patients should always feel safe and respected while in our care, and we deeply regret that this was not the case,” the Trust stated.
