Edward Deevy jailed for A&E sex attack on 100-year-old
A 56-year-old man who sexually assaulted a 100-year-old dementia patient as she slept in an A&E cubicle has been jailed for two years.
Edward Deevy, of Ampthill Road, Aigbirth, Liverpool, admitted the offence in a hearing at Liverpool Crown Court last month.
The court heard that Deevy was taken to the Royal Liverpool University Hospital after a vodka and wine binge.
Judge Norman Wright said he had "preyed on an extremely vulnerable woman".
Deevy, who had been discharged from A&E in the early hours of 2 April, was spotted on CCTV wandering around the hospital for 35 minutes before entering the cubicle.
His victim, who was suffering from a chest infection and dehydration, had been placed in the cubicle until a bed was free.
She had been sedated and left in the cubicle with the curtains closed and the light turned off.
Deevy was discovered in the woman's cubicle by a nurse. He claimed the victim was his mother but he later admitted to touching parts of her body and kissing her.
His defence described the incident as "unique and awful".
Diane Wake, executive nurse at the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "This is an extremely isolated incident and one that has shocked and saddened our staff."
"As we would always do with an incident involving our patients, we are investigating to see if there is more we could have done and we continue to support the family."