Heart surgeon Amal Bose convicted of sexually assaulting five staff at Blackpool Victoria Hospital

A senior heart surgeon, Amal Bose, 55, was found guilty of sexually assaulting five members of staff at Blackpool Victoria Hospital, a court heard, with offences said to have taken place between 2017 and 2022.

Jurors at Preston Crown Court convicted Bose of 12 counts of sexual assault in a trial that concluded in June; he was cleared of two other charges. Sentencing was scheduled to continue on Tuesday, Sept. 16.

Prosecutors told the court that Bose targeted female colleagues who worked below him in the hospital hierarchy, subjecting some to groping and one to an incident in which she had her top pulled down in the workplace. Witnesses described repeated inappropriate touching, unwanted closeness and sexualised remarks, and said the behaviour persisted because of Bose’s seniority in the department.

One administrative worker gave evidence that Bose repeatedly squeezed her breasts and made comments such as, "I'm just looking for a pen," when she handed him a leaving card to sign. She said he would routinely smack her bottom and refer to her as "fresh meat." That worker was linked to nine of 14 counts in the case, the prosecutor said, and told the jury she adjusted her hours and took measures to avoid him before Bose was suspended.

Another witness told the court she was groped after Bose had put on surgical gloves while they were preparing for an operation. A further complainant described an episode in which Bose rested his head on her shoulder shortly after she joined the department, causing her concern about how colleagues might perceive their relationship. Another said he pulled her top down, exposing her chest and bra, and remarked, "I thought that is where you put my cup of tea."

Prosecutor Huw Edwards said medical staff had described a "toxic and sexualised" workplace culture that went unchallenged because Bose was a senior consultant with a leading reputation in his field. "It was sexual targeting of females — and mainly younger females," Edwards told the court, adding staff often dismissed the conduct with remarks such as, "That's just Amal."

The trial also heard evidence of WhatsApp group chats among hospital staff with sexualised names, including messages exchanged in groups titled "Cardiac Sluts" and "Work Slags," which prosecutors said illustrated a broader pattern of banter and inappropriate joking among some doctors.

Colleagues who gave evidence described Bose to the court as "rude and arrogant" and "creepy." Defence counsel Tom Price KC said in mitigation that Bose had come to appreciate "the gravity of his conduct over that period of time." Bose has lost his medical career as a result of the convictions and is now employed as a parcel delivery driver, the court heard.

The convictions relate to incidents reported by five women who worked under Bose at Blackpool Victoria Hospital in Lancashire. Several witnesses told jurors they felt unable to challenge the behaviour because of Bose’s authority and feared repercussions or being disbelieved.

The sentencing hearing, which began with victim impact material and legal submissions, was due to resume at Preston Crown Court on Sept. 16. The judge will determine the sentence having heard the full range of evidence and submissions from prosecution and defence.