A Grange hospital worker claims a sexual assault accused became emotional

A health care worker accused of sexually assaulting two patients described one of them as “in tears and emotional” because of the pain caused by an intestinal disease.

Ieuan Crump, 26, from Gilfach, Caerphilly, is charged with nine counts of sexual assault, including three counts of sexual assault by penetration.

It is alleged that the offenses took place at the Grange Hospital in Cwmbran, Torfaen, in August 2021.

Crump denies all allegations.

The woman, admitted in August 2021 for intestinal problems, later told police that Mr. Crump touched her intimately, explaining that it was part of a bladder examination.

She also claimed he performed a pregnancy test by touching her breasts and vagina.

Defense attorney Andrew Davies asked Crump “what use” it would be to discover whether a woman was pregnant.

“That wouldn’t make sense,” Mr. Crump replied.

He said the woman in the ward was “in tears and emotional” because she was in so much pain.

He also said he didn’t remember being told not to perform a bladder exam himself, and that “in an ideal world” the hospital would try to provide care for a caregiver, but that didn’t happen.

On the same ward that same week, a woman recovering from appendectomy later claimed that Mr. Crump had sexually assaulted her by performing unnecessary internal tests.

The patient complained that she was unable to urinate, so Mr. Crump remained present while the senior nurse attempted to insert the catheter.

Crump told the court that he did not ask the patient, whose identity is legally protected, whether she wanted him to be present during the procedure, but asked if he could be.

He denied asking the patient or a senior nurse to stay and observe.

Crump said he came face to face with a patient who was lying in what he called a “labor position” as a senior nurse began the procedure.

When asked if he touched the patient intimately or told her she needed intimate touch, Crump replied he had not.

He denied ever touching any of the women inappropriately.

Crump was close to tears as he said his university had withheld his adult nursing degree and because of the allegations he was unable to work as a medical assistant or volunteer at St John’s Ambulance. Currently he works in a factory.

“I had ambitions to become a doctor, but I didn’t get the right grades,” he told the court.

The court heard that while studying for his degree he worked as a healthcare support worker, first at the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport and then at the Grange Hospital in Cwmbran.

He said he was part of the hospital’s banking system and took over shifts that needed staffing, and at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic he worked in a stroke unit.

When asked by Mr Davies what autonomy he had in his role as a healthcare assistant, he replied “very limited… you supported the nurse”.

The process continues.