Indian-origin Surgeon Jailed for Sexual Assaults at NHS Hospital

London, Sep 17 (PTI) – A heart surgeon of Indian origin has been sentenced to six years in prison for exploiting his position to sexually assault female colleagues at a National Health Service (NHS) hospital in northern England. Dr. Amal Krishna Bose, aged 55, was found guilty of 12 counts of sexual assault, which included inappropriate touching and making sexualized remarks to five female staff members at Blackpool Victoria Hospital in Lancashire between 2017 and 2022.

At Preston Crown Court, Bose was sentenced on Monday following a jury's guilty verdict in June. He had denied the charges, claiming his actions were just "flirting" and "workplace banter." Detective Chief Inspector Kirsty Wyatt of Lancashire Police commented on the case, stating, "Everyone should feel able to go to work and feel safe, confident and secure, but Mr. Bose has undermined that by abusing his position of power to sexually assault these female staff members, causing enormous damage."

Wyatt expressed gratitude towards the victims for their courage in coming forward, acknowledging the challenges they faced in doing so. "While he may have considered his behaviour as merely flirting, Mr Bose’s actions have clearly had a deep and lasting impact on his victims and in some cases has caused them to abandon the profession they loved," she added.

During the trial, Bose was identified as a central figure in creating a toxic and sexualized culture at the hospital. Sacha Coyne, Senior Crown Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) North West’s Rape and Serious Sexual Offence Unit, stated, "Amal Bose was in a trusted position at the hospital. He abused this by creating a toxic environment, making sexual comments, and sexually assaulting five women who worked at the hospital." Coyne noted Bose's failure to recognize the serious and lasting impact of his actions, describing them at trial as "workplace banter."

Victim statements were presented at the sentencing hearing to assist the judge, revealing the profound effect of Bose's actions. One woman reported suffering from panic attacks and anxiety due to the offences, while another mentioned feeling isolated and vulnerable, leading to self-harm as a coping mechanism.

The court heard testimonies of how some women took sick leave or even left their positions to avoid encountering Bose, expressing feelings of insecurity at work and decreased trust in male colleagues. Maggie Oldham, Chief Executive at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals, conveyed the hospital's support for the affected staff, stating: "Our thoughts remain with all those affected by the actions of Mr Bose, and we thank our staff for the bravery and courage they have shown throughout the police investigation and trial of Mr Bose." Prior to these allegations, Bose was head of the cardiovascular surgery department at Blackpool Victoria Hospital. He had been suspended by the NHS Trust managing the hospital, which contacted the police in March 2023 regarding the allegations before charges were filed in May of the previous year.

(Only the headline of this report may have been reworked by Editorji; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)