Disgraced occupational therapist from Warwick is jailed for sexually assaulting two women

A disgraced occupational therapist has been jailed after a judge heard how he sexually assaulted a woman whose husband he had been visiting and a hospital nurse.

Gagandeep Sharman had originally denied three charges of sexual assault involving two victims – but finally pleaded guilty at Warwick Crown Court to one offence against each woman.

Sharman (37) of Saumur Way, Warwick, was jailed for 26 months, ordered to register as a sex offender for ten years, and given a restraining order banning him from contacting the women.

Prosecutor Glyn Samuel said that in 2019 it was arranged that a man who had a number of health problems should be visited by an occupational therapist to assess his needs.

When Sharman turned up, the man’s wife let him in, and she said that while he was dealing with her husband that morning, he acted in a completely professional manner.

But he later returned, claiming he had left his phone behind. It was then when he sexually assaulted the woman.

At first the woman, who said she had a bath and scrubbed herself ‘almost raw,’ was reluctant to call the police – and after she eventually did so, CPS lawyers decided not to charge Sharman.

As a result of her complaint, his employers stopped him visiting people in their homes and confined him to working at a clinic.

But he then went on to sexually assault a nurse at work.

Clare Evans, defending, said Sharman’s ‘abject and genuine apology’ had been made in his basis of plea, in which he said: “I am truly sorry and devastated at my behaviour and the effect it has had on them.”

Sharman, who said he had never had a sexual relationship, said he had since received counselling and wanted to apologise to the two women for not admitting his guilt earlier.

Miss Evans added that as a result of what he did, Sharman has lost the job as an occupational therapist for which he had worked so hard to qualify.

Jailing Sharman, Judge Anthony Potter said of the first incident: “You approached her in a quite disgraceful manner. She had not invited this in any sense."

And of the second offence, the judge told Sharman: “You pursued her between a number of rooms before you followed her into a room and thrust your groin towards her in a similar way.”

Explaining that the sentence would be one of immediate imprisonment, he added: “Threatening two women in this way must be punished in that way.”