UK Court Jails Nigerian Care Worker for Sexually Assaulting Patient

A Nigerian national, Adewale Kudabo, has been sentenced to one year in prison by a UK court for sexually assaulting a patient under his care at York Hospital.

Kudabo, who worked as a hospital assistant, was convicted on June 10, 2025, after pleading guilty to two counts of sexual assault on the first day of his trial in April.

Presiding judge, Alex Menary, said Kudabo “abused the trust” placed in him by both the hospital and the vulnerable patient. “You abused that trust,” Menary told Kudabo, adding that the impact on the victim included anxiety and distressing flashbacks.

The court heard that Kudabo was assigned to bathe a female patient in severe pain. After completing the task, he kissed her on the lips without consent. Despite her discomfort, the victim was unable to resist due to her condition.

A few days later, Kudabo reportedly approached the same patient again, offering another “bed bath” and attempted to kiss her a second time, leaving her confused and distressed.

The York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which oversees York Hospital, issued a public apology, expressing “sincere regret” to the victim. The Trust also confirmed that Kudabo left his position shortly after the incidents.

Prosecutor Henry Fernandez detailed the assaults and described the emotional toll on the victim, while defence counsel Jerry Sodipe stated that Kudabo, who had moved to the UK from Nigeria with his family, had no prior convictions and had shown genuine remorse.

“He has held up his hands to say, yes he is guilty – he shouldn’t have done that,” Sodipe told the court.

Kudabo will serve half of his one-year sentence before being eligible for release.