A man has been jailed after he sexually assaulted a woman in a wheelchair in a London hospital. 

The female patient was being wheeled back to a ward at St Mary’s Hospital by a porter on February 6 when 35-year-old Mukhtar Jama approached her, a court heard. 

He took her right hand and kissed it while asking if she was ok, before he moved closer and groped her breasts.

Police were called to the hospital, in Praed Street, Paddington, and Jama, of Pinkwell Lane, Hayes, was arrested and later pleaded guilty to sexual assault. 

He appeared in the dock at Southwark Crown Court for sentencing on Tuesday (March 5). 

The court heard that Jama had four previous convictions for sexual assaults. 

Judge Christopher Hehir said: “All of these previous incidents involved similar conduct, groping complete strangers in public places. One of the previous incidents also took place in a hospital.” 

Rebecca Martin, representing Jama, said that in 2019 Jama suffered brain damage in a road traffic accident. 

Three of the four sexual assaults committed by Jama took place after that accident.

Ms Martin said that as a result of the brain damage Jama has a lack of consequential thinking. 

But Judge Hehir said that while the head injury had led to great changes in Jama’s life, there is evidence that he maintains self-control. 

Judge Hehir said: “You knew what you were doing and you knew what you were doing was wrong.” 

He sentenced Jama to one year in prison after concluding that an immediate custodial sentence was necessary due to the threat he poses to women.