Another Nigerian UK-Based Doctor Faces Trial Over Multiple Rape Charges
By Fellow Nurses Africa
7 October 2025
A Nigerian-born doctor working for the NHS has gone on trial accused of three counts of rape, in a case that has raised fresh concerns about safeguarding within the UK’s healthcare system.
Dr Osareme Edeoghon, 39, from Barnsley in South Yorkshire, denies the charges stemming from alleged assaults on a woman at her home in Hampshire last year. He has since been suspended by the General Medical Council (GMC), the UK’s doctors’ regulator, with the suspension taking effect from December 2023 amid the ongoing investigation.
The trial, which began on Monday at Winchester Crown Court, heard graphic accounts of the alleged incidents from prosecutor Robert Harding KC. The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had invited Dr Edeoghon to her home, where the pair knew each other socially. However, Mr Harding told the jury that upon arrival, the doctor allegedly initiated sexual activity without consent, restraining her on the staircase despite her repeated protests.
“She said ‘no’ and suggested ‘maybe later’, but his grip was so tight that she couldn’t move her hands,” Mr Harding said, as reported by the Daily Mail. The prosecutor described how the woman was “forcefully” held down, her dress lifted, in what she later told police felt like a profound violation.
Jurors also heard that the alleged assaults continued later that evening. While the woman was on a phone call with a friend—discussing plans for a carnival event—Dr Edeoghon is said to have entered her bedroom uninvited and raped her again. In a police interview played to the court, she explained her frozen response: “I was on the phone and not inviting him… It took time to register what was happening.”
A third allegation involves non-consensual oral sex, which the woman described as leaving her feeling “used” and desperate to regain control of the situation.
Mr Harding emphasised to the court: “There was no consent given, and it would have been clear to any reasonable person that she did not consent.” The incidents are said to have occurred while Dr Edeoghon was based at an NHS hospital in Basingstoke, Hampshire.
Dr Edeoghon, who trained as a doctor in Nigeria before qualifying in the UK, appeared composed in the dock as the case opened. He denies all charges and is being supported by his legal team, who are expected to present their defence in due course.
The trial continues, with the woman due to give evidence in the coming days. No date has been set for a verdict.
Broader Context: Safeguarding in the NHS
This case forms part of a troubling pattern of sexual misconduct allegations against healthcare professionals in the UK. The GMC’s suspension of Dr Edeoghon underscores its commitment to public protection, with interim measures like this allowing investigations to proceed without risk to patients. In 2024 alone, the regulator handled more than 200 cases involving doctors accused of sexual offences, though convictions remain relatively rare.
For the victim, whose courage in coming forward has been praised by support organisations, the process is a stark reminder of the long shadow cast by such trauma. Charities like Rape Crisis UK highlight that reporting rates for sexual violence remain low, with only about 15% of incidents reaching authorities—figures that underscore the need for continued cultural shifts in workplaces like the NHS.
As the trial unfolds, it serves as a poignant call for vigilance, empathy and reform. Healthcare, built on trust and healing, must confront these failures head-on to protect those it serves.
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