A UK court has sentenced Adewale Kudabo, a former York hospital worker, to one year in prison for sexually assaulting a patient.
Presiding judge Alex Menary stated that Kudabo had “abused the trust” placed in him as a medical professional. Kudabo pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault on the first day of his trial in April.
“You abused the trust she placed in you,” Menary told Kudabo during sentencing on June 10. The judge ordered him to serve half of the sentence before being eligible for release.
The court heard that the victim has since suffered anxiety and flashbacks as a result of the assaults, which occurred at York Hospital.
The York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which oversees York Hospital, extended its “sincere apologies” to the victim, confirming that Kudabo had left his position shortly after the incidents.
According to prosecutor Henry Fernnandez, Kudabo had been assigned to bathe the patient, who was experiencing significant pain. During the bath, he kissed her on the lips without consent. Despite her discomfort and inability to avoid the kiss, the patient managed to move away slightly.
Days later, Kudabo reportedly offered the patient another “bed bath” and attempted to kiss her again, further exacerbating her distress.
Jerry Sodipe, Kudabo’s lawyer, noted 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.
Sodipe said Kudabo was “moved to sympathy” due to the pain experienced by the victim and accepted his actions were “inappropriate and unacceptable”.
Sodipe said Kudabo had moved to the UK from Nigeria with his family for work but had now lost his job.