A Nigerian healthcare assistant, Adewale Kudabo, has been sentenced to 12 months in prison by a UK court for sexually assaulting a vulnerable female patient at York Hospital, just nine months after relocating from Nigeria.
Kudabo, 47, committed the assaults while the woman was in a severely weakened state and largely immobile due to a serious health condition.
York Crown Court heard that he kissed the patient on the lips twice—first after giving her a bed bath, and again days later when she declined another bath.
Despite her attempts to avoid the unwanted contact, she was unable to physically resist due to her condition.
Prosecutor Henry Fernandez said the incidents occurred while Kudabo was employed as a health assistant and living in the South Bank area of York. The victim later reported the assaults to the police.
During questioning, Kudabo initially denied wrongdoing, claiming the kisses were on the forehead and done out of sympathy. However, he later pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault.
In a victim impact statement, the woman described ongoing emotional trauma, including anxiety, depression, and a loss of trust in caregivers. She said the experience left her feeling helpless and fearful.
Judge Alex Menary, who presided over the sentencing on June 10, 2025, said Kudabo had grossly violated the trust placed in him.
“She was particularly vulnerable, almost entirely dependent on others. You abused the trust she placed in you as a carer,” the judge said.
Kudabo will serve half of his 12-month sentence before being released on licence. He has also been placed on the sex offenders’ register for ten years.
