York Hospital Employee Convicted and Sentenced to Prison for Sexual Assault of Patient.

A healthcare worker at York Hospital has been sentenced to one year in prison for sexually assaulting a patient under his care. Adewale Kudabo, 47, of Count De Burgh Terrace, South Bank, York, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault on the first day of his trial in April, York Crown Court heard on Tuesday, June 10.

The court was told that Kudabo, employed as a healthcare assistant at the time, abused his position of trust while attending to a female patient suffering significant pain. Prosecutor Henry Fernandez explained that the sexual assault occurred after Kudabo was tasked with bathing the patient. Following the procedure, Kudabo leaned down and kissed the patient on the lips without consent, leaving her confused and uncomfortable. Despite her attempts to move away, her pain restricted her ability to avoid the act.

Days later, Kudabo approached the victim again, offering another “bed bath” and attempting to kiss her a second time. The patient, unable to fully evade him due to her condition, was kissed again. The incidents left her suffering from anxiety and flashbacks, the court heard. She later reported the assaults to North Yorkshire Police, leading to Kudabo’s arrest.

Judge Alex Menary, presiding over the case, condemned Kudabo’s actions, stating that the victim had placed her trust in him as a medical professional, which he “abused.” The judge deemed the offenses serious enough to warrant an immediate custodial sentence, ordering Kudabo to serve half of his one-year term before being eligible for release.

Defending, Jerry Sodipe said Kudabo, who has no prior convictions, expressed remorse for his actions. Sodipe claimed Kudabo, originally from Nigeria, was “moved to sympathy” by the patient’s pain and mistakenly believed his actions offered comfort. However, he acknowledged that Kudabo’s behavior was “inappropriate and unacceptable.” The court also heard that Kudabo, who relocated to the UK with his family for work, lost his job at York Hospital shortly after the incidents.

The York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which operates York Hospital, issued a statement expressing “sincere apologies” to the victim. “Patients should always feel safe and respected while in our care, and we deeply regret that this was not the case,” the spokesperson said. The Trust confirmed it acted swiftly, and Kudabo left their employment soon after the incidents were reported.

The case has raised concerns about patient safety and trust in healthcare settings, with the Trust emphasizing its commitment to ensuring such incidents are not repeated.