Heart surgeon convicted of sexually assaulting five colleagues at Blackpool Victoria Hospital

A jury at Preston Crown Court found heart surgeon Amal Bose, 55, guilty of 12 counts of sexual assault involving five female members of staff at Blackpool Victoria Hospital, the court heard. The offences were said to have occurred between 2017 and 2022 and included a series of unwanted sexual acts and comments, jurors were told.

Prosecutors described a pattern of behaviour in which a senior consultant used his position to target colleagues who worked under him, creating what witnesses called a "toxic and sexualised" workplace culture that went largely unchallenged. Medical staff told the court they felt unable to confront Bose because of his seniority and reputation within the department.

During the trial, several women described being groped in clinical and workplace settings. One administrative worker told jurors Bose squeezed her breasts while asking her to sign a leaving card and said, "I'm just looking for a pen." Another witness said Bose flicked her nipple after noticing a body-piercing through a bodysuit, and on a separate occasion pushed his hand inside her dress in a ward kitchen. A nurse said Bose pulled her top down, exposing her chest, and on another occasion purposefully grabbed a colleague's breast after putting on surgical gloves while preparing for an operation.

Witnesses recounted repeated verbal comments, including being called "fresh meat," having their bottoms smacked and hearing sexually explicit remarks such as "I've got something better for you to suck on," which a victim interpreted as a reference to oral sex. One nurse told the jury Bose told her his fantasy was to tie her up and attempted to persuade her to go to a hotel room to "show her a good time." On at least two occasions, jurors heard, he said to female staff working on their knees, "I like it when you are down there."

Prosecutor Huw Edwards told the court that the assaults went "beyond workplace jokes" and amounted to sexual targeting, primarily of younger females. He said staff attempted to dismiss or normalise the behaviour with remarks such as "That's just Amal," and that the consultant's professional standing made complaints difficult.

Witnesses also described how some doctors at the hospital exchanged sexually charged messages in WhatsApp groups with names referred to in court. Several staff members said new employees were warned about Bose and that they altered work patterns, reduced hours or developed sickness records because they were anxious about encountering him.

Bose was convicted on 12 counts of sexual assault and cleared on two other charges. The judge is due to sentence him on Tuesday, Sept. 16, at Preston Crown Court. The hearing continues.

In mitigation, defence barrister Tom Price KC said Bose now appreciates "the gravity of his conduct over that period of time." The trial record shows that Bose has lost his medical career and is now working outside medicine as a parcel delivery driver.

The convictions highlight concerns about power dynamics and safeguarding in clinical environments, particularly where senior staff are perceived to be beyond reproach. Hospital staff told jurors that when incidents were reported they were not properly addressed; one witness said she spoke to a colleague about an incident but nothing further was done. The court heard that some consultants were described by peers as "rude and arrogant" and that Bose's standing as a leading doctor made it harder for victims to come forward.

The case will conclude at sentencing, where the court will consider the convictions, the impact on the victims and Bose's personal mitigation. Police and hospital safeguarding procedures were central to witness testimony, which drew a picture of repeated misconduct over several years in a major NHS trust.