Ireland Case No. 8822Sexual assault · Co. Westmeath
Healthcare assistant convicted of sexual assault of teenage patient at Mullingar hospital
Papy Kadima Tshikala, a 52-year-old man and healthcare assistant, was accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl who had been admitted to Regional Hospital Mullingar after a tablet overdose, with the alleged offences taking place on a date in 2024. He was arrested about a week after the girl told her mother and hospital staff reported it, and he pleaded not guilty to two counts of sexual assault. His trial before Judge Cephas Power and a jury at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court opened on 7 July 2026, and on 14 July 2026 the jury unanimously returned guilty verdicts. He was remanded on continuing bail with strict conditions pending reports and a Probation Service assessment, and the case will be listed next week to set a sentencing date.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court1 Jul
2 reports - Convicted1 Jul
- Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- A healthcare assistant was convicted by a jury of two counts of sexual assault of a 17-year-old girl.
- The complainant alleged the accused undressed her, pulled over a curtain, said he would wash her, and washed her breasts and bare backside by hand, with another patient in the room and no parent or guardian present.
- The accused asked for the complainant's number and put his contact number into her phone.
- When
- The alleged offences took place on a date in 2024, when the girl, then 17, had been admitted after a tablet overdose.
- Where
- The alleged offences took place at Regional Hospital Mullingar, described in one source as a medical facility in the Midlands, where the accused worked as an agency worker.
- Cause
- The prosecution says the girl was assigned as an independent patient who did not need help with washing or dressing, while the defence says there was a communication breakdown and the accused was not told she was considered independent.
- Other details
- The accused maintains he only washed the girl's face, arms and armpits, and told gardaí he asked if she needed help and she said she did.
- Investigation
- The girl told her mother the following morning, and it was reported to hospital staff, who notified gardaí.
- The accused was arrested about a week later and questioned by gardaí.
- Charges
- The accused pleaded not guilty to two counts of sexual assault.
- In court
- The trial began on 7 July 2026 before Judge Cephas Power and a jury at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court, with 14 prosecution witnesses and the accused not giving evidence, though his garda interviews were read into the record.
- The jury unanimously returned guilty verdicts on 14 July 2026 after about two hours and 40 minutes of deliberation.
- The accused was remanded on continuing bail with strict conditions pending reports and a Probation Service assessment.
- Sentence
- The case will be listed next week to set a sentencing date.
39 statements extracted from the articles
- whatA healthcare assistant has been convicted of sexual assault. (thejournal.ie)
- whatThe girl was recovering from a tablet overdose at the time. (thejournal.ie)
- whatThe complainant alleged the accused undressed her and washed her breasts and backside. (thejournal.ie)
- whatThe accused asked for the complainant's number and put his contact number into her phone. (thejournal.ie)
- whatA healthcare worker has gone on trial accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl treated for an overdose. (thejournal.ie)
- whatThe complainant was 17 at the time and had been admitted to the facility after an overdose. (thejournal.ie)
- whatIt is alleged the accused pulled over a curtain, said he would wash the girl, and washed her breasts and bare backside by hand. (thejournal.ie)
- whereThe healthcare assistant was working at Regional Hospital Mullingar. (thejournal.ie)
- whereThe alleged offences took place at a medical facility in the midlands. (thejournal.ie)
- whenThe incident occurred in 2024, when the girl, then 17, was admitted to the hospital. (thejournal.ie)
- whenThe alleged offences were on a date in 2024. (thejournal.ie)
- causeThe prosecution case is that the teenager was assigned as an independent patient, meaning she did not need help with washing or dressing. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationThe hospital authorities notified gardaí after the teen told her mother. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationThe girl told her mother the following morning, and it was then reported to staff. (thejournal.ie)
- investigationThe accused was arrested a week later and questioned by gardaí. (thejournal.ie)
- chargeThe accused pleaded not guilty to two counts of sexual assault. (thejournal.ie)
- chargeThe accused has pleaded not guilty to two counts of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe case was tried over five days before Judge Cephas Power and a jury at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe jury unanimously returned guilty verdicts after about two hours and 40 minutes of deliberation. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe accused was remanded on continuing bail with strict conditions pending reports and a Probation Service assessment. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe trial is before Judge Cephas Power and a jury at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe accused has pleaded not guilty. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe trial began before Judge Cephas Power and a jury at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThere are 14 prosecution witnesses. (thejournal.ie)
- courtA scene-of-crimes officer has given evidence about photographing the room earlier this year. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe trial continues on Wednesday. (thejournal.ie)
- sentenceThe case will be listed next week to set a sentencing date. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe accused was an agency worker at the hospital. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe accused did not give evidence, but his garda interviews were read into the record. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe defence argued there was a communication breakdown in the accused's instructions at the hospital. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe teenager had been assigned as an independent patient, meaning she did not need help with washing or dressing. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe accused maintains he only washed the complainant's face, arms and armpits. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe defence says there was a communication breakdown. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe trial will continue on Thursday. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe accused worked at the facility as a healthcare assistant. (thejournal.ie)
- otherAnother patient was in the same room, and no parent or guardian was present with the complainant. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe accused told gardaí he had not been informed that the girl was considered an independent patient. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe accused told gardaí he asked the teenager if she needed assistance and she said she did. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe accused maintains he only washed the girl's face, arms and armpits, not her breasts or backside. (thejournal.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 1 Jul2026Healthcare worker goes on trial accused of sexually assaulting teenager treated for overdose
First report of the trial opening at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court; it sets out the prosecution's opening case, the accused's account to gardaí, and the first evidence heard.
accused, 50s, malevictim, 17, female - 1 Jul2026Healthcare worker put his number in teen girl's phone after alleged sexual assault, jury told
Reports evidence from the complainant, a witness in the same ward, a staff director and the defence position on day two of the trial.
accused, 50s, malevictim, 17, female - 1 Jul2026Healthcare assistant who undressed teenage girl treated for overdose convicted of sexual assault
Reports the jury's guilty verdicts on two counts of sexual assault, the bail remand, and that a sentencing date will be set.
convicted, Papy Kadima Tshikala, 52, male, namedPapy Kadima Tshikalavictim, 17, female