Hospital worker’s jail term for patient sex assaults raised

A healthcare support worker who carried out fake medical examinations to sexually assault two women at a south Wales hospital has had his prison term extended by three years following an appeal.

Sentence increase

Ieuan Crump, 28, from Gilfach near Bargoed in Caerphilly county, was originally given a nine-year sentence in December after being convicted of multiple sexual offences against patients at the Grange Hospital in Cwmbran.

The Court of Appeal ruled on Wednesday that the original term was unduly lenient and did not adequately reflect the seriousness of what Crump had done. A revised sentence of 12 years was handed down, comprising seven years for the offences against the first victim and five years for the second, to run consecutively.

Lord Justice Singh told the court: “The overall sentence did have to reflect the gravity of the offending as a whole.”

The offences

Crump was working as a healthcare support worker when he targeted the two women in August 2021. He subjected them to sexual assaults under the guise of carrying out medical checks while they were in pain and vulnerable. One of the victims had recently undergone surgery, and Crump failed to wear gloves during some of the assaults.

He stood trial and was found guilty of six counts of sexual assault and three counts of assault by penetration.

Impact on the victims

The court heard how Crump’s actions left both women severely affected. One victim revealed she had attempted to take her own life on three occasions, while the other said she had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.

The appeal hearing

The case was referred to the Attorney General for the sentence to be reconsidered. At the Royal Courts of Justice on Wednesday, Nadeem Holland, appearing for the Solicitor General, argued that the original sentencing judge had not properly accounted for the aggravating features of the case or the serious breach of trust involved.

Marian Lewis, representing Crump, contended that the trial judge had been best placed to determine the appropriate sentence and described the offending as “opportunistic” rather than targeted.

Crump appeared at the hearing via video link from HMP Parc in Bridgend but did not address the court.