Abused As I Held My Baby
A young mum speaks out about the rapist nurse that attacked her in her own home…
When my daughter *Lily was born, I vowed to be the best mum possible.
My boyfriend *Richard and I would stare at her in awe. ‘She’s perfect,’ I sighed.
But at home, I suffered with mild post-natal depression.
When Lily was eight months old, I still wasn’t feeling like my usual self, so I visited my GP.
Vijay Bundhun, 42, was allocated to be my community health nurse.
From our very first meeting at Sittingbourne Memorial Hospital, Kent, Vijay seemed very understanding.
He told me all about his specialist training and qualifications.
I felt in safe hands.
He even offered to visit me at home.
I didn’t drive, so it made life easier.
One day, Richard took Lily out in her pram when Vijay arrived and went through routine questions. ‘Are you any good at massages?’ he asked me. ‘Erm...no,’ I replied, quite taken aback. ‘Stand up,’ he insisted. I suddenly felt uncomfortable. ‘No, I’m alright here’ I replied, sinking into the sofa. ‘Stand up,’ he demanded, firmly. As I got up, he pulled the curtains closed and stood behind me. To my absolute horror, I felt his erect privates pushing into my bottom. Panic swept over me, but Vijay remained so calm, I didn’t know what to make of it. Suddenly he let go and said it was time to go, but he’d return for another check. As he left, I tried to make sense of it all. Had he taken things too far? Was I overreacting? I tried to forget it, but that night, my mobile phone vibrated with a text from Vijay: ‘Can I see you tomorrow for a medical check?’ He kept messaging me
He kindly offered a home visit
until I agreed.
My best friend *Lisa was due just after, which was reassuring.
The next day, Richard went to work, and I realised I felt nervous about meeting Vijay.
‘But he’s a nurse,’ I scolded myself.
Lily was asleep upstairs when Vijay arrived and ran through my temperature, weight, blood pressure and blood sugars.
Then he sat beside me on the sofa. ‘You’re beautiful,’ he said. I felt so uncomfortable… And then: ‘Lay on the floor,’ he said, suddenly. ‘No!’ I said, laughing nervously. Then his demeanour changed. ‘Get on the floor,’ he said. I felt like I didn’t have a choice. As I lay on my front, Vijay sat down on top of me and I felt his weight pressing on me.
My whole body froze with fear as he began to massage me.
‘You’re so tense,’ he said, grabbing me between the legs.
Then he tugged at my leggings and pulled down my knickers. I
I WAS PREYED ON WHEN I WAS AT MY MOST VULNERABLE
fought to pull them back as he rubbed my breasts...
Suddenly, Lily started to cry from her cot upstairs.
Vijay stopped in his tracks.
‘I’ll go check on her,’ I cried, running upstairs.
I carried her in my arms downstairs and put her on my knee to soothe her.
But as she calmed down, Vijay leaned over and forced his tongue into my mouth.
He held my head firmly while licking my ear and tugging at my top.
Lily was facing away as he pulled out my breast and sucked it...
By now, I was just so terrified for Lily’s safety.
‘My friend is coming over soon,’ I blurted. Vijay stood up. ‘This is just between the two of us,’ he warned.
As he left, I was shaking so violently that I had to put Lily in her highchair.
By the time Lisa arrived, I was crying uncontrollably.
‘What’s happened!?’ she cried. As I told her, Lisa was horrified. When Richard came home, Lisa and I told him everything and he immediately called the police. ‘Nobody will ever believe me. He’s a nurse,’ I protested.
Calling so quickly meant they stopped me washing away vital DNA evidence and soon I discovered that he’d attacked other women under his care too.
With all the evidence stacked up against him, he was found guilty and jailed for life.
He was convicted of four counts of rape, eight counts of sexual assault, and one of assault by penetration against six victims.
I was just so relieved that he was finally stopped. He couldn’t harm anyone else. Thankfully, Lily is too young to remember that day.
But I just hope that by sharing my story, other victims will see that they can get justice - no matter who your perpetrator is.
Lily was on my lap as he touched me