Care worker jailed after raping ‘extremely vulnerable’ patient
ACARE worker raped an “extremely vulnerable” patient at a home providing treatment for people with mental disorders.
Aymen Babiker was performing an agency support worker role when he carried out his crimes at a home in the south Wales area in 2018.
The 37-year-old led one woman into a laundry room where he forced her against a counter and raped her while keeping his hand over her mouth to “stifle her screams”, a sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court was told.
Another patient with a learning disability was groomed before she was also taken to a laundry room, where Babiker engaged in a number of sex acts with her. The court heard Babiker denied the offences but was found guilty following a trial.
Judge Daniel Williams outlined the facts of the case during the hearing and told the court Babiker was working as an agency support worker at a facility offering treatment and rehabilitation to people with mental disorders in the south Wales area at the time the offences took place.
Babiker’s two victims, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, were residents there.
Judge Williams said the defendant’s offending began in 2018, when he raped one “extremely vulnerable” patient.
“You accompanied her to the laundry room,” Judge Williams said. “When she bent over to gather her washing you grabbed her bottom. She pushed you away and told you to ‘f*** off’ but you pushed her against the counter, put your forearm against her neck, and raped her.
“You put your hand over her mouth to stifle her screams.”
Judge Williams said the victim made it clear throughout the attack that she was not consenting but Babiker “pressed on regardless”.
On another occasion in the same year Judge Williams said Babiker committed a sexual offence against another patient with a learning disability after a period of grooming. The judge said Babiker acquired the woman’s telephone number and sent her messages “affecting concern for her”.
“Your only concern in fact was to abuse your position of trust to abuse her,” he said.
Judge Williams said the victim was again taken to a laundry room where she performed oral sex upon Babiker, the pair had sexual intercourse, and Babiker penetrated her with his fingers.
The judge said the victim felt “awkward, anxious and scared” after the experience and cried for several hours when she returned to the ward.
Babiker, of Wordsworth Avenue, Cardiff, denied three counts of engaging in sexual activity with a person with a mental disorder by a care worker, and one of rape, but was found guilty on all counts following a trial.
Lawrence Jones, prosecuting, read two victim impact statements to the court.
Mr Jones said the statement of one of Babiker’s victims showed how she has “struggled in the aftermath” of being raped by the defendant.
“She had hope for a happy future,” Mr Jones said. “She has come to the realisation that she has been raped by someone who was meant to take care of her and she has found that souldestroying.”
The second woman said: “I want you to know the pain and suffering you have caused me through this entire process. You took advantage of me. You were supposed to be someone I can trust.”
The woman said she was groomed on social media by Babiker, who “promised me things that [he] never intended to give me”.
“Once you started having sex with me, I wanted you to stop,” she said.
“Although I did not tell you to stop, I want you to know that I was afraid. I felt really awkward and that I was put into this position by you.”
Mathew Buckland, defending, told the court his client has not changed his position with regard to his guilt since the trial.
Mr Buckland said the defendant was of previous good character and the “fall for him at his age is a substantial one”. He added that “such a situation will never arise again given the length of sentence he will serve”.
Babiker was sentenced to 13 years in prison for the offence of rape and six years for each of the three other offences. The sentences will run concurrently.
Judge Williams said Babiker would have to serve at least two-thirds of his sentence before being considered for release on licence.