UK Court Jails Nigerian Health Worker for Sexually Assaulting Vulnerable Patient at York Hospital

A Nigerian healthcare assistant, Adewale Kudabo, has been sentenced to 12 months in prison by a United Kingdom court for sexually assaulting a patient under his care at York Hospital.

Kudabo, 47, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault on the first day of his trial in April. He was officially sentenced on June 10 at a UK court sitting in York.

The assaults occurred while Kudabo was working as a care assistant, during which he was tasked with providing bed baths to a severely immobile female patient experiencing intense pain. According to court proceedings, Kudabo kissed the patient on the lips after completing a bath an act the victim attempted to resist despite her vulnerable condition.

Prosecutor Henry Fernandez told the court that the victim was left shocked and deeply uncomfortable. The situation worsened days later when Kudabo approached the same patient again, offered to assist her with another bed bath, and attempted to kiss her a second time.

The victim later reported suffering significant emotional trauma, including anxiety, confusion, and recurring flashbacks as a result of the incidents.

Presiding judge Alex Menary condemned Kudabo’s actions, stating he had “abused the trust” placed in him as a healthcare professional. “You abused that trust,” the judge remarked, noting that the victim had relied on him during an extremely vulnerable period.

Kudabo, who had no prior criminal convictions, expressed remorse through his defence counsel, Jerry Sodipe. “He has held up his hands to say, yes, he is guilty. He shouldn’t have done that,” Sodipe said. The lawyer also revealed that Kudabo had relocated to the UK with his family for work and had since lost his job following the incident.

The York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which oversees York Hospital, confirmed that Kudabo no longer works with the institution. In a public statement, the trust extended “sincere apologies” to the victim and affirmed its commitment to patient safety.

Kudabo is expected to serve half of his 12-month sentence before being eligible for release on licence.