Description
A sports therapist from Hornsey was sentenced to 27 months imprisonment for sexually assaulting one of his clients whilst he treated her at her home.
Jerry Okoye, 39, attended his client's home in Surrey. As he was treating her, Okoye took down his shorts and underwear, sexually touched and then penetrated the victim with his fingers by putting his hands down her pants.
The attack was notified to the police later that day by the victim's partner. The whole attack was also captured on a camera in the victim’s home which she had installed to keep an eye on her new puppy while she was out.
Okoye was arrested three days later and was subsequently charged and remanded in custody. He pleaded guilty to sexual assault by penetration and sexual assault by touching at an earlier hearing.
After Okoye pleaded guilty, the victim said she had initially felt that the assault was her fault. She said: “When the police got to my house, I still felt so dirty and hated the fact that I had to stay in the same clothing. The officers were lovely to me. I just couldn’t process what had happened and it felt like such a whirlwind.
“I knew I was not responsible for anything that he did to me, but I found it hard not to blame myself. I just felt totally numb. Every time I shut my eyes, he was there in front of me and so I didn’t sleep at all.”
“I never wanted to go back to my flat, so I had to start renting it out. It was my safe haven until he destroyed this. I don’t feel safe or comfortable knowing that there are people in the world like him and you just never know who they are.”
Detective Constable Wood, who investigated the incident, said: “The fact that Okoye violated and took advantage of the victim in her own home in his position as her sports therapist is simply untenable.
"While the victim will have to live with the long-term impact for the rest of her life, I hope the fact that Okoye has been brought to justice for the offences he committed will help her to be able to move on with her life."