A senior care worker has been jailed for nine years after attempting to rape an 85-year-old woman with advanced dementia at a care home in North Lincolnshire.
Malek Alshabi, 53, carried out the attack on a highly vulnerable resident who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease and required assistance with all aspects of daily living. The incident was captured on motion activated CCTV cameras installed in the resident’s room to help staff monitor falls and ensure resident safety.
The footage showed Alshabi entering the woman’s room after a movement alert was triggered. The disturbing incident was later reviewed by investigators, leading to his arrest at his home in Sheffield.
During a police interview, Alshabi denied any sexual activity and claimed he was fasting for Ramadan and had no interest in sex. However, he later admitted attempted rape and pleaded guilty before Grimsby Crown Court.
The case has raised serious concerns about safeguarding procedures within the care sector because Alshabi had previously been convicted of offences against another elderly care home resident. In April 2024, he received a suspended prison sentence after being found guilty of wilful ill treatment or neglect of a 93-year-old woman in a Sheffield care home. He was also convicted of criminal damage during the same incident.
Judge Timothy Clayson described the latest victim as a deeply vulnerable woman who lacked capacity and depended entirely on carers for her wellbeing. The judge questioned how Alshabi was able to secure another care role after his previous conviction and called for a review into the circumstances that allowed him to continue working with vulnerable adults.
The court heard that Alshabi’s earlier offences occurred while he was intoxicated at work. On one occasion, he was reportedly found slumped in a corridor due to his condition.
In sentencing, Judge Clayson said the offence represented a grave breach of trust by a person placed in a position of responsibility over vulnerable residents. Alshabi was jailed for nine years and will remain on licence for a further three years after release.
The court also imposed an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and ordered that Alshabi remain on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely. He has also been added to the barred list, preventing him from working with children or vulnerable adults in the future.
The case comes amid growing scrutiny of safeguarding standards in care homes across the UK and internationally. Regulators and advocacy groups have repeatedly stressed the importance of rigorous background checks, staff monitoring, and swift reporting of abuse allegations to protect elderly residents, particularly those living with dementia who may be unable to report mistreatment themselves.
Authorities are now expected to examine how Alshabi was able to return to care work despite his previous conviction involving the neglect of another elderly resident.
