York, UK – A Nigerian health assistant, Adewale Kudabo, 47, has been sentenced to 12 months in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of sexual assault against a highly vulnerable female patient under his care at York Hospital. The conviction and sentencing took place at York Crown Court on Tuesday, June 10, 2025.
The court heard harrowing details of how the victim, rendered almost entirely immobile by a severe medical condition, was assaulted twice while confined to her hospital bed. Prosecutor Henry Fernandez described the first incident, which occurred after Kudabo had given the patient a bed bath. He then leaned over and kissed her on the lips. Despite her attempts to resist, her medical condition left her helpless and unable to fend him off.
A few days later, Kudabo returned, again offering a bed bath, which the woman declined. Mr. Fernandez recounted how, despite her refusal, he proceeded to kiss her once more while she lay vulnerable. “She was in a lot of pain and almost completely dependent on others for her care,” the prosecutor emphasized, highlighting the victim’s extreme vulnerability.
These disturbing incidents transpired just nine months after Kudabo’s arrival in the UK from Nigeria. At the time, he was employed as a healthcare assistant at York Hospital and resided in the South Bank area of the city.
During police questioning, Kudabo claimed his actions were a gesture of sympathy, asserting he had only kissed the woman on the forehead and that his behaviour was “in keeping with his job.” This claim was contradicted by the court’s findings.
In a powerful victim impact statement read aloud in court, the woman articulated the profound and ongoing trauma she has endured since the assaults. She described experiencing “helplessness, fear and loss of trust,” along with debilitating depression, anxiety, and recurring flashbacks, revealing the severe psychological toll of Kudabo’s actions.
Defence counsel Jerry Sodipe stated that Kudabo accepted his behaviour was “inappropriate” and noted his previously unblemished record. However, Judge Alex Menary delivered a stern rebuke during sentencing. “You abused the trust placed in you as a carer. She was particularly vulnerable—immobile and dependent on you for her care. I am satisfied the kiss was on the lips, not the forehead. What you did has had a profound impact on the victim’s life,” Judge Menary asserted.
The judge stressed that the gravity of the offence necessitated an immediate custodial sentence “to mark the seriousness of what you did to someone in your care.”
Kudabo will serve half of his 12-month sentence in custody, with the remainder served on licence. He has also been placed on the sex offenders register for a period of 10 years.
