A 36-year-old Nigerian, Emmanuel Onwubiko, living in the United Kingdom, has been sentenced to two years in prison by a UK court for sexually assaulting an 18-year-old female patient entrusted to his care at York Hospital.

The court heard that the abuse occurred on five separate occasions, during which Onwubiko subjected the vulnerable patient to repeated inappropriate touching and groping. When the victim confronted him during one of the incidents, Onwubiko dismissed her concerns, claiming that such an incident would not even be reported back in Nigeria.

Refusing to be silenced, the victim fled the hospital premises, reported the sexual assaults to law enforcement authorities, and subsequently gave testimony against him during the court trial. Although Onwubiko denied all the allegations, a jury found him guilty on all counts of sexual assault.

Following his conviction, the court placed Onwubiko on the Sex Offenders Register and issued a 10-year restraining order to prevent any contact with the victim.

Court proceedings highlighted the significant psychological trauma and anxiety experienced by the victim following the assaults as she continues her process of recovery.