Man cleared of sex attacks on elderly patients

Matthew Shah was found not guilty of three charges of assault by penetration on three elderly patients, aged 64, 84 and 88, while working as a healthcare assistant at Bassetlaw Hospital in Worksop between April and May 2010.

But after a week-long trial, the jury of two men and 10 women took less than two hours to find him not guilty of the charges.

Shah, of Savile Street, Retford, Nottinghamshire, had denied the charges.

He told the court: “My intentions were honourable. My intentions were to clean and cleanse the patients.”

However, he said he believed he “deserved to be sacked” and added that he thought of himself as “a pretty lousy healthcare assistant”.

He admitted he may have been “careless, clumsy and a little reckless” while carrying out his duties.

But he told the court: “I’ve never had a sexual thought about an elderly woman.”

He made no comment as he left the court yesterday.

He was flanked by friends and family, who wept tears of relief when the verdict was read out.