UPDATE: |Healthcare worker convicted of sexual acts to woman detained under Mental Health Act News

He told her ‘I love you’ and ‘you are my baby’

A healthcare worker has been convicted of engaging in sexual activity with a woman detained under the Mental Health Act. A court was told of ‘inappropriate behaviour’ with a vulnerable patient at a secure mental health unit on the part of Nureni Osimade, from Salford.

Osimade, 52, kissed his victim’s neck and told her ‘I love you’ and ‘you are my baby’ while working at the unit in Cheshire. A judge said he was ‘satisfied there was grooming’ and the court was also told of touching.

Robert Wyn Jones, prosecuting, told Liverpool Crown Court that in the autumn of 2023, the woman told staff of Osimade’s behaviour towards her. She was interviewed by police and initially said he had been ‘flirting with her’ and would call her ‘beautiful, special and cute’.

The woman told officers she was ‘flattered’ by the attention and got a ‘buzz’ out of, but things then became physical. The court heard it began with an arm around her shoulder, but progressed.

The woman referenced being in a lounge area when Osimade approached her from behind, put his arm around her waist and pulled her towards him, whispering ‘I love you’ in her ear. He would not let her go until she was able to ‘wriggle free’, the court heard.

The next day, in an incident captured on CCTV, she was walking down a corridor when Osimade put his arm out to block her way. He then put his arm around her and started kissing her on the neck saying ‘you’re my baby’.

Osimade, of Ribot Walk, Salford, denied the allegations when challenged by colleagues and the police, but later pleaded guilty to two offences of engaging in sexual activity as a care worker with a mentally disordered female.

In a victim impact statement, the woman said her mental health ‘deteriorated significantly’ after the incidents. She said she became upset and tearful, and later became angry and paranoid.

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Chris Hudson, defending, told the court Osimade is from Lagos in Nigeria and did not ‘really understand’ the concept of grooming. He said that the defendant, who is married with three children, is a ‘devoted church man’ and a ‘doer of good’. He had only been in the job for a few weeks and was remorseful, putting his behaviour down to ‘poor judgement’, the court heard.

Mr Hudson said: “He is an intrinsically decent man and this will never, ever be repeated. It is a valuable lesson for him.”

Judge Denis Watson KC said patients with mental health disorders should be to able to trust those caring for them.

He told Osimade: “Over a period of time, I am satisfied there was grooming. There was a series of compliments, which developed to hugging then putting your arm around her waist and kissing her. This took place at the place of care where she should be entitled to be safe.”

Sentencing him to six months in prison, suspended for 18 months, Judge Watson said he was satisfied there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation and others would be adversely affected by his imprisonment.

He also ordered Osimade to carry out 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days, 150 hours of unpaid work in the community and to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for seven years.